


Raising Hell

by Ariadne (Ariadnem)



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Gen, Inspired by Shadowhunters (TV), M/M, Princes Of Hell, when inspiration hits
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-14
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2019-04-22 15:31:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 44,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14311773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ariadnem/pseuds/Ariadne
Summary: Alec has been injured during a battle and has lost every memory he had of Magnus and their life together. And now Magnus is willing to raise hell just to bring Alec back to his old self.





	1. New York

**Author's Note:**

> This story came to be after an idea by Mat (Noksindra) on Twitter. As I said back there, it's a hell of an idea.
> 
> My undying gratitude to Malec_hun whose patience, comments, and virtual hand holding have meant the world to me and have been encouraging to the completion of this story. Thank you, love. You're the very best!
> 
> English is not my first language, however, I've tried to make this story a clean as possible. Any mistake in it is entirely mine. My apologies in advance.

**Raising Hell**

A Shadowhunters TV Show based fanfiction.

 

 

 

The last thing he thought of was Magnus. Their life together passed by before his eyes as he was falling. He hadn’t been able to stop it; his body had been pushed off the edge of the building and although he’d managed to throw one final arrow, he was feeling the void of the fall filling his entire being with fear and the certainty of death.

He saw Magnus in front of him, from the first second he’d seen him when he shot that Circle Shadowhunter that Magnus had finished off until the last morning they’d shared together a couple of days ago.

He regretted not having been able to talk to Magnus face to face, but by phone. He regretted not having been able to tell him he loved him, just one more time. However, time was always implacable and once things weren’t done, then you could forget about taking it back.

If he’d had time, he’d do it all over again. Perhaps a bit different, he admitted to himself; he would have accepted Magnus attention a lot earlier and wouldn’t have spent a second away for him.

By the Angel, he thought. Even the stars looked beautiful as he died.

 

*       *       *

 

Catarina had recognized Alec’s siblings the second they walked into her ward at the hospital. She’d know something was terribly wrong if they had come to her and not to the Silent Brothers, but didn’t ask much as she guided them to a room she’d later shielded with magic to be able to work properly.

She hadn’t even asked where Magnus was. She knew he’d been sent away by Lorenzo on warlock business just to be kept far from helping their community. She knew the extent of some warlock’s envy towards those they deemed a danger to themselves, but the hatred Lorenzo felt for Magnus was already quite absurd. Catarina took a look at Alec, who was still unconscious and feared the worst. His head had been bleeding copiously and it took her all her will and strength to attend on him as her patient and push aside her feelings of love and care for someone who’d showed her that in spite of who they were, Shadowhunters could have a heart full of warmth and love for those around him. She’d seen him with Magnus, she’d loved him with Madzie, and now, she'd had to save his life.

The warlock had then moved around, she’d dropped the glamour over her magic, not caring about Isabelle and Jace and starting conjuring around her. She’d put her hands over Alec and had looked all over for the damaged that had been caused. She’d heard the siblings talk without pause and had had to hush them a couple of times just to get them to let her do her job. She'd even had to push Jace to a side so that he wouldn’t be in the middle and had smiled to herself when he’d got mad and Izzy had had to remind her hot-headed brother that they’d come to her so that Alec could get the help he needed and that they should allow her to do so.

Catarina’s fingers tingled as her magic flowed through Alec. She’d felt him accept her, as he’d known her from before: he’d had too many broken bones, there had been too much damage; his limbs had been the easiest part, his internal organs not so much as they had been shutting down slowly. She’d found the link between his iratze rune and how they were still functioning though barely. Painfully slowly, she’d felt his bones crack and his blood gurgle as it started flowing properly again. The pores of his skin had been closing little by little and once they did, she could focus on his head. The blood there had finally stopped and she’d had to stop herself from whining at the sight of Alec and his wrecked body. Catarina had found the wound on his head and had heard his brain repositioning itself and his skull close back up and had heard the faint moan that’d escaped his lips.

She’d never felt so compromised to saving someone as she’d felt at that moment, and although she hadn’t cared much about how long it would take her to save  Alec, she felt confident he’d recovered, but she truly had no way to know what would happen once he woke up. In her mundane job, she knew how dangerous head wounds could be and had seen more than one person not being able to make it fully back. However she couldn’t despair, Magnus, unbeknownst to him, was counting on her.

Once she’d been finished, she’d seen Isabelle and Jace sitting awkwardly on a chair, barely keeping awake. She’d taken a look at her watch and noticed too much time had passed. She’d have to do something about her own shift, later on, right then, all she’d cared about was Alec, his even breathing, and the fact that he was alive.

She took inventory of what had happened and conjured her magic one more time, cleaning up Alec and his surroundings. His clothes had been torn and there had been blood everywhere. It’d all looked too ominous and she hadn’t wanted his siblings to see all the blood anymore. Catarina cast some hospital gowns on him and hooked him up to a respirator and to a vital signs machine. She would ask them later what had happened, for she’d had more pressing matters to attend to as Alec was out of danger and dawn had arrived already.

She pulled her phone out and noticed her blue skin. It’d been a while since she’d let anyone see her warlock mark, but she was sure the Lightwood siblings would respect her privacy and would keep it to themselves. She looked for Magnus’ number and dialed, her call going nowhere as he wasn’t answering.

“Magnus you need to call me A.S.A.P,” she left a message before noticing Isabelle stirring and looking at her.

“Alec...” she started desperately, and calmed a little as Catarina explained his condition; right then, there was no more damage and they needed to wait a little bit more, the next few hours would be crucial to his recovery and they could only wait. Isabelle nodded and buried her face in her hands, “I can’t lose him,” she told Catarina, her voice broken

“You won’t, at least not for now, but tell, me, what happened to him?”

 

It’d been a while since Catarina had had to use her magic this much, and she was feeling exhausted. She’d been calling Magnus for hours and he hadn’t responded yet. Alec had had a couple of critical moments but he’d been able to pull through and was now off the respirator.

She’d called in sick after making up some excuses over her disappearance the night before, as well as doing some memory wiping—something she was sure to keep to herself, nobody really needed to know that— and could now devote all her attention to Alec.

It was already evening again, the Lightwood siblings had been coming and going using their glamour so that people wouldn’t notice them. Maryse Lightwood was outside the room, putting herself together before seeing her son. Catarina could only imagine what Alec’s mother was feeling. She’d heard from Magnus how she’d come around to accept him and treat him as another member of the family and how much Alec loved her.

She sighed when the whole Lightwood clan walked in.

Her phone rang in her pocket and she let it go to voicemail. She was hoping it was Magnus, but she needed to talk to the Lightwoods first. She’d been keeping Alec asleep for a while longer, she explained. The swelling on his head was almost gone and brain activity was normal up to that point, but she still needed another day before starting to wake him up. She wanted him to have as much rest as possible.

 “Have you heard of Magnus yet?”

Isabelle asked and she shook her head, “we need to let Lorenzo know, he needs to summon Magnus back,” she finished.

Catarina’s phone rang again and this time, she took a look at the caller ID. She sighed in relief when she saw it was Magnus and answered the phone at once, lifting her finger and asking Isabelle to give her a second.

“Magnus! Thank God!” she started before moving to the side, “where are you?”

“I’m at my loft Cat, just got here, I’m about to…” he was telling her when she cut him off.

“You’re about to come to the hospital right now. Find my magic and find me. It’s Alec.”  Catarina heard the click and the line going dead. Maryse looked at her hopefully. She knew how much Alec needed Magnus by his side. Perhaps, he and his magic could help Alec heal a little faster.

Robert was telling Catarina about the Silent Brothers and what they could do for Alec when Magnus barged in through the door, a worried look on his face.

“Catarina, what happened?”   

“It was a demon attack, Magnus. That horrendous thing threw Alec off a building. We brought him to Catarina as soon as we could,” Jace started to explain, overwhelmed. Magnus just nodded his head here and there as he and Isabelle filled him in with details. They explained to him how they’ve brought him to Catarina for help, how they thought he was dead at first. He was looking at him, the bruises all over his face, and the bandage on his head. He looked at Catarina, asking her what she’d done for him before holding Alec by the hand.

“He needs rest now, Magnus. I’ve healed everything physical that needed healing. But his head was in a pretty bad condition. We have to wait and see when he wakes up.”

“Wait and see?” he asked.      

“Yes. We need to wait and assess any brain damage.”

Her words sounded like a sentence and Jace had to hold Maryse before she almost collapsed. That was something they hadn’t discussed yet and they were too afraid to say it aloud.        

“As I was saying before, the Silent Brothers might be able to help,” Robert chimed in, “I’m not letting my son suffer like this! We’ve been through this before, Brother Enoch helped Max not so long ago, we have to give it a try,” they started arguing and Catarina told them to talk outside where they wouldn’t disturb Alec. He was her priority, she reminded them, and then, together with Magnus, they could make a decision. She made sure to tell them that and was grateful when Maryse nodded at her as she squeezed her arm before taking Robert and her children outside.

Magnus was lost looking at Alec resting. He let go of his hand and flicked his fingers, his blue sparks responding softly to him as he called upon their power to help his beloved. Catarina put her hand on his shoulder and allowed his magic to touch her so that he could find hers in Alec and could see what she’d done. Perhaps it was true and the Silent Brothers were the only ones who could help Alec now, but he had to try.

He started to move his hands over Alec’s body. He found Catarina’s magic and started following it, realizing everything she had to do to keep him alive. Tears started to fall down his face as he recognized the extent of the damage Alec’s body had suffered. He cried in silence as Catarina’s words became more real. It was clear his brain had suffered the most. His body had been broken by the fall, and it’d been only because of Alec’s iratze rune—and he was grateful to whoever had activated it— that he survived having been brought to the hospital. However, there was something about it he couldn’t understand. There was another kind of magic surrounding Alec and through her touch, Catarina acknowledged it for the first time.

Magnus moved his hands all over Alec’s body one more time. He took away the bruises and the small cuts that were still there. He made sure he was cared for and comfortable since they had to wait anyway.

When he was finished, he hugged Catarina and spoke to her in an old language they hadn’t used in many years as he thanked her for what she’d done. He owed her his life for having saved Alec’s.

“Let’s wait until he wakes up, and we’ll take it from there,” she said, and moved her fingers all over Magnus' face, trying to clean up a bit of his smeared makeup. “He’s more stable now, they can take him to the Brothers as soon as he’s up. I still want to make sure he’s alright.”

“I’ll tell them when they come back. I’m not going anywhere right now," he told her, patting her arm. He was there now, and although there wasn’t much for him to do, he was going to make sure he was by his side when Alexander woke up.

 

 

Two days had passed when Alec finally woke up. During that time, Magnus was by his side, ate whatever little food Izzy and Maryse managed to get in him, and used his magic to keep up with minimum hygiene.

Alec opened his eyes slowly. He felt dizzy and had to look at his surroundings to make sure about where he was. He first noticed the white ceiling and the strong smell of antiseptic. He wriggled his nose and brought his fingers to it trying to get rid of the smell, but the IV on his arm made him realize he wasn’t exactly in the position to do anything.

He tried to sit but his other arm was weak. He still tried supporting himself on it and as he looked around the room, he noticed someone was asleep by his bed. The man was reaching out to him, his hand close to his, although he was clearly out for the world. Alec looked at him surprised. Why would anyone be there? Where was he? Why wasn’t Izzy with him?

At the thought, he panicked and started screaming calling for Izzy.

Catarina and Maryse walked right then and Magnus woke up startled. Alec was having a panic attack. His breathing was more uneven by the second and he was way too pale.

“Alexander,” Magnus whispered, reaching out to him, but Alec recoiled, his eyes showing nothing but fear.

“Who are you?”

Magnus was taken aback by Alec’s words and demeanor. He gave him a quizzical look and called his name again, yet the answer he got was more screams from Alec calling for Izzy.

Robert entered then, Izzy and Jace following him. Alec stood up, his body against the wall next to the bed, his face showing relief the second he looked at Izzy and recognized her.

He exhaled loudly as she approached him and he clung to her, burying his face in the space between her neck and shoulder and started sobbing.

“Who are these people, Izzy? Take me home, please, don’t leave me here,” his voice sounded fearful and like a plea. She didn’t know how to react and looked at Catarina who was watching them as she checked on Alec’s vitals.

“Hi, Alec,” Catarina started giving him the warmest smile she could, given the circumstances. She was doing her best to ignore everybody around him while at the same time keeping Alec calm. This was part of what she was fearing and didn’t dare look at Magnus and she knew his pained look would kill her; “I’ve been your nurse and have been taken care of you since Izzy brought you here after you fell from a high place, may I keep on checking you?”

Her voice seemed to soothe him a little and in spite of his height and the fact that he was older than Izzy, he looked at her and then at Catarina before nodding his approval. She smiled again, while she took him off the IV and conjured some food for him on a table next to where Magnus was standing. He let her do as she explained to him everything she was doing.

“What do you remember? What’s your name?”

“Alec Lightwood,” he answered.

“Do you remember the woman and the man over there?” she asked signaling to where Maryse and Robert were standing.

“No,” he said, lowering his head.

“And the blond? Any idea who he is?” she asked this time as she offered him some water to drink. He took it and shook his head while Catarina heard Jace’s painful moan behind her. She didn’t dare ask about Magnus just yet. The scene was already heartbreaking, she didn’t need to inflict more pain.

“What happened to me?” Alec asked holding Catarina by the wrist.

“As I said, you fell from very high and you were very hurt when your brother and sister brought you to me,” she started to explain pointing at Jace and Izzy, “I had to work on you a lot, but we managed to bring you back, though you don’t seem to remember anyone but Izzy here; which was expected given your injuries, now the thing is, it can be something temporary or something permanent, that I can’t tell you yet, but you are safe and you are alive and that’s all we need right now.”

“You said my brother and sister, who are they then?” Alec asked this time and pointed at Maryse and Robert.

“Mom and dad, Alec,” Izzy said sobbing. He simply nodded.

 

“Do you understand everything I just told you?” Catarina asked, touching his face to check his complexion.

He nodded and sighed. There were a lot of things going through his head right then. He was trying to process everything and didn’t fight back when Maryse came closer to him.

 “Catarina,” he called her, “and who is he?” he questioned her this time without looking at Magnus who’d stayed on a side, trying to be invisible.

“That’s Magnus, and he is your boyfriend.”

At her statement, they were all silent. Magnus lowered his head. His hair had been unkempt for the past few days and it fell over his eyes, covering them. Alexander didn’t remember him and the look of disbelief on his face when Catarina told him he was his boyfriend was enough to finish breaking his already wounded heart.

“Alec, Alec, look at me. Don’t fight over what you can’t control. You will remember them all, but right now, I need you to recover one hundred percent,” he nodded and she sighed, “we’ll take this one day at a time and everybody here will give you time to heal.”

Catarina helped him lay back down in bed and patted Izzy on the arm. She asked Maryse, Robert, and Jace to stay with them. She then went to Magnus and held him by the hand, taking him outside of the room.

Once away from the Lightwoods, Catarina took Magnus in her arms. He held on to her as he broke down in tears and let out a muffled scream against her shoulder. Yet, Alec needed to get better first, he needed to remember him and he was going to be there for him until he could look him in the eye and recognize himself in those eyes of his again.

 

It’d been a week since Alec had returned home. Or at least to a place he could call as such in the past. After having been at Magnus’ loft and having woken up in the middle of the night with a panic attack at being at an unfamiliar place, Izzy had decided to take him back to the Institute at least for the moment. He’d seemed a bit more at ease there, although he was easily startled every time there was an alarm and everybody had to run to respond to an attack.

Maryse hadn't allowed them to take him to Alicante either, after all, once her situation was public and she was officially exiled, she wouldn’t be able to return there and she wasn’t willing to risk it.

Against all odds, she’d fought Robert as well. Her ex-husband-to-be wanted to take Alec with him to the LA Institute but she’d been adamant about not letting him go.

She wanted to keep a close eye on him and for the past couple of days had been looking for a place for them with Luke’s help. He knew the mundane world better than anyone and she trusted him enough to confide him her fears and her desire to help Alec.

Maryse had also kept in touch with Magnus. She’d seen his pain when she and Izzy took Alec away. That night, she had hugged him tighter than she’d ever done before. She’d promised to keep him informed and was more than willing to let him visit. Alec needed Magnus as much as Magnus needed him and it was, in her opinion, just a matter of time before Alec could be his usual self and was back to Magnus.

Alec, on the other hand, was living in a world full of silence in spite of all the noise around him. Those first days at Magnus’ home had been awkward. He didn’t know how to behave around the other man. Little by little, they’d been teaching him about the Shadow World. They’d brought Max in and it took him only two seconds to feel the need to protect his little brother. Max had clung to him and had given him more love than he’d been able to accept openly up to that point. Izzy had never left his side, and it had been the same with his mom. Jace had been a hum within, a presence he had felt but it took him a few days to know what or who it was. A bond, they’d explained to him. Apparently, he was a piece of himself living in a different body and Alec had started accepting it all slowly. His father was a sore spot as they always ended up fighting, Robert trying to impose himself but his fear of losing Alec had been hidden under his rage. Alec had learned to recognize them all one by one.

They would spend hours talking about old stories that came to life as they’d been told to him. They would show him family photos that took shape in his own mind as time passed by.

Everything and everyone were making sense. Everyone but Magnus.

Alec hadn’t known how to behave around him. He could see Magnus trying to be there for him without being on the way. He’d given him more freedom than any of the others. The warlock —Izzy had explained that was him—would make sure he had everything he needed to be comfortable without being overly present. He’d given up his room —their room, they’d explained to him as well— so that Alec was surrounded by things he might have found familiar but there was something about it he couldn’t really understand.

The smells in the room, the colors, the soft touch of the bedsheet, the sandalwood shampoo he’d been using and many more small things seemed more than familiar. They all called to him and yet, he could call them as something that belonged to him or that he was actually related to. Alec felt silly. Things were just that, inanimate objects and yet these brought a strange calmness at times. Other times, the place and everything in it seemed too alien to him.

However, it had been Magnus demeanor what had convinced him he needed to leave with Izzy and their mom. He could see how much Magnus was hurting. Although there were memories of them everywhere, as they had pointed out, Magnus was still as much a stranger as the day before. He was a ghost in a mind that was recovering everything else but it.

He was grateful to him and wished things had been different but he needed to stay away. He didn’t want to hurt Magnus more than he had already. It wasn’t only that he didn’t remember him. It was that perhaps Magnus was expecting him to love him again, and he couldn’t find it in himself to do it. Not now at least. And for that, Alec was so very sorry.

Magnus, on his part, was living his own little ordeal. He’d tried to give Alec as much time and space as he needed but it was hard and most of all, it was extremely painful. The fact that Alexander couldn’t remember him was taking its toll a little too early. He was determined to help him, had agreed with Maryse about the fact that the Silent Brothers needed to check on him to see how to get him to recover his memories sooner rather than later, but still, nothing had been easier. He knew that they could bring a light he wasn’t able to with Alec not being able to be by his side for more than a few minutes.

The whole thing was seriously hurting him.

Alec could go from feeling comfortable lying in bed for a while and then he’d toss and turn and would wander around as if he didn’t belong there. He was having these mood swings Magnus didn’t know how to face.

It had been a long time since he’d felt so useless and powerless. Not even at the night of Valentine’s massacre had he felt like this. Alexander and he were partners in many ways; they had learned to be there for each other and their communication skills had improved a great deal since they started dating. Not being able to be near him at this dire time or being able to help him was a little too much. All his insecurities were coming back out, slithering like a snake that had been hidden and ready to attack when he was at his weakest.

And Alec’s desperate looks we’re not helping either one. He knew the young man had tried to remember him. He’d seen him smile as Izzy told him about them and gave him whatever little detail about their lives she knew, but he also knew it’d been futile. Alec couldn’t remember him and at the moment didn’t feel like knowing more than he did.

That had been why he hadn’t opposed the Lightwood women when they told him they were taking Alec away. What he felt he could do was try and make their transition, Maryse’s and Alec’s, as smooth as possible.

He’d told Luke he would take care of their expenses. They would need it and he was as more than willing to provide for them for as long as the Lightwood matriarch would allow him to.

Magnus was at his apothecary looking at the different ingredients for his potions. How many of them had he tried to concoct just to slip them into Alec’s food with no results? He had read every magic book he and Catarina owned. He’d gone through Ragnor’s old possessions and hadn’t found a thing that could help him.

It was then that he had received a message from Izzy. His mom and Alec were ready to move into their new place on a day or two; they were just waiting for the next day to visit the Silent Brothers at the City of Bones.

Magnus smiled as a single tear escaped his eyes. He knew Isabelle was a good friend and had always been there for him, but couldn’t help it and felt jealous because she could be there for Alec in a way he could not. Did Alec love her that much that she’d been the only person he could remember? Or had his love for Magnus been so fleeting that he was now completed erased from his heart.

Magnus leaned over his desk and rested his head on his folded arms hiding his face. He wasn’t in a good place. All his abandonment issues came crashing against him as if they needed to destroy him with all the pain they’d brought. Thoughts of past friends and lovers filled him and fed his insecurities and fears.

He looked up and around. Nothing was working and the feelings of impotence overwhelmed him. As he stood up, a flick of his fingers and amber flames took shape in his hands. He released his magic and the place blew up around him. Jars and glass broke in loud pops. Books came off the shelves and pages old and new flew around him. And then he screamed in agony. For the first time in his many years alive, he was losing everything that mattered to him.

With Alec, Magnus had rediscovered himself in many ways. He’d learned that being strong meant being vulnerable at times, that he needed to speak without fear of hurting the other or being hurt. He’d lived a love so epic, he wasn’t ready to let go.

Magnus remembered how he started pursuing Alec the same night he’d met him. How far they’d come since then. He would play games, at times he’d be coy to get his attention, and other times he’d spoken to Alec in an upfront way. He would always speak his mind and he knew how that used to startle Alec. He also remembered how much they would be willing to talk and be themselves, without fear of being judged. It had been freeing to be with him.

He answered Izzy’s text asking if he could come with them to see the Brothers. He had to be granted permission to be there and was hoping his old connection to them would help him get it. He sent the text and looked at the mess around. He sighed heavily and went to his room, his phone in his hand as he called Catarina. He couldn’t be there much longer. The place brought too many memories of Alec and him together and right now, what Alec was lacking was what hurt him the most.

“I _am_ the one who can’t live _without_ you Alexander,” he said to the empty loft sobbing before opening a portal to Catarina’s.

 

 

 

Brother Enoch greeted Magnus at the City of Bones’ downworlders entrance. He bowed his head to the warlock as a greeting as he wanted to show Magnus some respect and so, he avoided speaking into his mind.  Magnus had nodded acknowledging him. Brother Enoch showed him the way and Magnus walked in.

He couldn’t remember when the last time he’d been to one of the Silent Brothers’ citadel was but he was grateful he could be there then although the place was not exactly welcoming.

The Lightwoods were already there which was no surprise really. Alec looked at him and nodded at him then averted his eyes and focused on one of the many less than appealing decorative elements on the walls. Maryse and Izzy both gave him a hug, Maryse’s a tad longer as she whispered in his ear how thankful she was for everything he’d done for Alec. Izzy gave him a reassuring nod and Brother Enoch called them to move toward the walls as Alec was guided toward the center of the room over the circle.

The Silent Brothers summoned the Soul Sword then and Alec looked at its tip directly as it fell toward him, touching him in the center of his forehead. At first, it felt warm, he thought, yet a minute later, it felt as if it was burning him. Alec screamed, not giving the Brothers a second to react as a ray of light came out of the sword and exploded, throwing Alec and everyone else against the walls with a blast.

Magnus reacted as fast as he could and protected Maryse and Izzy as best he could. However, once the energy dissipated, he ran to Alec, checking on him for any damage.

“Brother Enoch, what happened?! What was that?!” Maryse came to the Brothers as she offered her hand to him to help him stand up. It was Brother Jacob who answered.

“He as a powerful mental seal blocking the access to the part of the memories Alexander Lightwood is missing,” he started, “there were memories taken from him and meant to never be restored. This wasn’t the work of a warlock, but a full demon.”

Magnus frowned as he listened to him. He requested permission and used his magic to help Alec recover from the hit he took. The man held Magnus’ hand as he offered it to get him to get up.

“Easy,” Magnus said, “you don’t want to get dizzy.”

Alec nodded and lowered his head, letting fall forward. Magnus noticed then that his hair was longer and his stubble was more pronounced now. He grunted as he managed to sit down properly and lean on a wall, Izzy by his side.

“Will you be OK?” Magnus asked Izzy and she responded with a quiet ‘yes’. Magnus patted her on the shoulder and walked towards Maryse and the Silent Brothers to help them get back on their feet. He made sure she was safe and used his magic to heal a couple of cuts she got in her arm. A couple of the Silent Brothers left after that and he was left with Maryse and Brother Enoch and Brother Jacob.

“What was that, Magnus?” Maryse’s voice broke as she looked at her children still dizzy and confused. Alec had gone through too much already and she was visibly upset, her hands on her hips as she moved from side to side. Izzy was next to Alec but she had been affected as well and the look she gave her got worried more worked up.

“Maryse, calm down,” Magnus started, he turned towards the Brothers then, “what did you see?”

Brother Jacob turned to him. In spite of the years he had passed around them, Magnus always felt conflicted at how those angelic beings decided to mutilate their bodies for what they called a higher purpose. Brother Jacob’s sewn eyes were on him though he knew he couldn’t really see him but use his energy to acknowledge him.

“A demon seal,” he started and Magnus nodded. He knew of those seals, he’d used one himself when he’d wiped out Clary Fairchild’s memories for many years. It had been what had harnessed his magic in her mind. He urged Brother Jacob to continue and he didn’t disappoint; “it’s a powerful, purposeful seal. It’s there for a reason for all his memories are intact but some in particular.”

“What do you mean by some in particular?” Magnus asked intrigued. Maryse came to his side, more concerned than upset now. “Brother Jacob, what is going on?”

It was then that Brother Enoch intervened. He stood between Magnus and Brother Jacob and spoke, his voice resonating in their heads.

“You. The demon erased you.”

Magnus took a deep breath and took a couple of steps back, turning to give them his back. That kind of magic would never have been used by a warlock. And one had to be too bold or too naive to want to face him. Even as a High Warlock he’d had a reputation and people would know his name and many have been intelligent enough to never cross him. Now, someone had been daring enough to find a demon with enough power to pull such a stunt on them. It wasn’t only that they had erased him from Alec’s life and had hurt him and Magnus with it; it had been that Alec almost died. He could remember each injury Catarina’s magic had shown him, he’d even visited the building he’d fallen from and knew that he was alive because of the angel blood in him and the iratze having been activated immediately. Someone had gone through a lot of trouble just to get rid of him and hurt him at the same time and he was determined to find out who.

Magnus turned around and walked towards Alec and Izzy.

“Magnus?” Maryse called him but he continued walking without pay attention to her; “Magnus!”

He stood in front of Alec and took a deep breath. Being this close to him was hard as it was, touching him as he intended was going to hurt more.

“Alexander,” he began, “may I see what the Brothers saw?” Alec gave him a questioning look and he started to explain himself for Alec’s sake and everybody present. “I’m going to put my hand on your temple and I’ll be able to see the seal the demon put in your head. Once I see it, I’ll know about it and I’ll break contact with you. It won’t hurt you like the Soul Sword might have. I just need to see to be able to know. So, may I?”

Alec looked at him. Even when he couldn’t remember him, he sort of trusted Magnus. It felt as much as he did when he was with his family and after hearing the Brothers, he realized Magnus must have been someone really important to him for someone to have wanted to erase him from his life. He nodded and straightened himself from his position, closing his eyes tight, bracing himself.

“I promise it won’t hurt,” Magnus reassured him and Alec nodded. He didn’t have anything to lose and after what had happened with the sword, nothing worse could happen. Or so he hoped.

Magnus placed his fingers tip on Alec’s temples. He focused his magic on finding the demonic energy and his eyes turned white as it did. The seal was there alright. It was nameless and he realized it was purposeful. If they didn’t know the name, then they wouldn’t be able to summon the demon and submit it to their will. And he meant them because he couldn’t not acknowledge what the others had done, but he knew this was made to keep him away from Alec. Quite literally.

He saw Alec’s fall then. He did because someone the Shadowhunter was showing him those memories on purpose. He saw him fighting it off, sword, bow, and arrows and saw how the thing had thrown him off the building. And Alec opened his mind a bit further and let him see how empty those last memories were. They were blank and Magnus realized then that those moments, which Alec might have believed to be his last, had been about him. He saw his desperation at having been robbed or something of his and at not being able to recover it. Seeing what had happened through Alec’s eyes opened a well of emotions he had a hard time to manage.

He let go of Alec and sat down on the floor against the wall opposite to the Lightwood siblings. His breathing was uneven and it took him a few minutes to regain his composure. Alec wasn’t suffering over what he’d lost but also because of what he couldn’t recover. He’d been exposed to memories and tales from others and although he’d regained most of it, there were pieces still missing. Pieces he felt were significant. And Magnus had felt touched by it because up to that point, he’d get nothing but rejection masqueraded in silent avoidance.

The seal had been infused with powerful magic. Its symbols and crests were ancient and they belonged to one with rank. The seal had a little secret only he could have found. And he did only because of his heritage.

“Magnus…” Maryse called for him and he lifted his face looking at her. The sadness in his eyes of late had given way to something more and she noticed; “what happened? What did you see?” she asked, Brothers Enoch and Jacob attentive to his every word as Izzy tended on Alec.

“Edom.”


	2. Hell

 “Magnus, you can’t be serious! Think this through!” Catarina raised her voice as she saw Magnus walking around his loft, checking every kind, parchment, old book, or volume he had in among his belongings. Edom. He hated the mere name and now his loathing was even deeper. Asmodeus was a deceitful son of a bitch. He was a demon so powerful and cunning that even the other Princes of Hell would bow down to him.

“I’ve thought enough! And I haven’t done anything near enough! I have done nothing but mop around waiting for a miracle, which won’t obviously happen unless I do something about it myself!” he yelled, baffled by the fact that Catarina couldn’t understand his desperation, “Besides, this is Alec we’re talking about, Cat! You know my life, you know about all the people I’ve loved and have lost. Every time it happens I’ve been devastated and then after almost a century Alec shows up and changes my own game. I don’t wanna lose him! Not like this!”

Magnus dropped the book he was holding on the table with as much force as he could muster. Catarina had never seen him like this. He would simply resign himself to losing those he loved and would drown in scotch for a while and would cry when nobody was seeing him. This time, it was different, though, and she would have to be too blind to not notice.

“You’re so afraid of being alone that you’re willing to do the unthinkable,” Catarina stated.

“No, Catarina, I’m willing to do the unthinkable because Alec doesn’t deserve to be punished by my father,” Magnus sat down tiredly. He rubbed his forehead with his hand and closed his eyes. If Alec was everything he had in his life, Asmodeus was everything he wanted to change it.

“You never talk about him,”

“And why do you think that is, my dearest Catarina?” Magnus leaned to one side as he was sitting and looked his friend in the eye, “do you think I should be proud of being his son? He deceived my mother, left her to raise a child she was never going to be able to look at as normal once she saw his cat eyes to the point were she’d much rather kill herself. He left me in a world were had it not been for the Silent Brothers who took me in, I can’t imagine the kind of bitter, destructive warlock I’d be. And now, now he takes it on Alec?! He erased me from Alec’s life! Why? Why did he do that? He despises me so much that he has to take the one thing I never want to lose?

“No, my dear friend, now he has to back off and leave us alone! He’s going to tell me how to revert Alec back to his usual self or I’ll make him do it and Alec and I will go back to our happy little life together!” Magnus spat the words and Catarina could see his determination in them. She noticed also how his hands glowed amber and bright. This was Magnus being pushed to the edge and regular people would never know what was going on there, but she did. All warlocks had a demon parent, it was mostly male demons that took a human female as a partner, and they would impregnate her and then forget about her and their offspring. How many warlocks had they seen lose their minds at a young age because they couldn’t control who they were, or were hunted because they didn’t know how to hide their warlock mark, or like Magnus when he was a kid, who could control their magic but didn’t have a sense of morality. She saw herself in Magnus. A female black girl who had turned blue one day and was looked at as a curse to her own people. Catarina shivered for a second. Magnus’ anger toward Asmodeus was justified and she knew it, but she said to herself, she couldn’t let him go on a suicidal mission to Hell.

“I’ll come with you,” she sentenced and Magnus looked at her. A knock on the door interrupted them and Magnus snapped his fingers, opening it. The Lightwoods walked in, accompanied by Luke. After exchanging pleasantries, they sat down in silence as Magnus magiced different kinds of drinks for them. He sat at one end, this time; he didn’t even look at Alec. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to, it was simply a matter of not being able to face him and let him see the state he was in.

“Maryse told me about Edom, Magnus. I know it’s not a pleasant topic for you, but still, I’d like to hear it from you,” Luke asked and Magnus nodded looking at his martini.

“The seal Alec has in his mind belongs to Edom, to _someone_ in Edom, that is. I can’t think of anyone else but Asmodeus, after Lilith, he’s one of the most powerful Greater Demons, nothing happens there without him knowing,” Magnus twirled his drink without actually tasting it. He wanted a clear mind above all that night, “if there’s anyone who could’ve done something like this, it has to be Asmodeus.”

“And what can we do about him, Magnus? Do we summon him? Do we attack him?” Luke continued asking and this time, the warlock turned to look at them. Catarina had remained silent on a side. She knew what he wanted to do, and that was a conversation they would continue once the Lightwoods and Luke were gone. Maryse and Izzy were sitting on each side of Alec and the poor man looked more troubled than on the day at the City of Bones. Perhaps he was conflicted. Magnus had been avoiding them for a few days already. And Luke. They’ve asked him to ask the questions and for a second, he saw a rather trembling movement of Maryse’s hands against his.

“Now _we_ don’t do anything, Luke. It’s not like the seal has an expiration date and this is demonic terrain, meaning, you have nothing to do with it,” Magnus said in a complete calm, so different to his vehemence when speaking to Catarina before. “ _I’ll_ deal with Asmodeus and I’ll clean up this mess. I’m not going to leave Alec in this state.”

“I’m not invisible,” Alec interjected. He really hated people treating him as if he wasn’t in the room, much more so lately, “and this is me you are talking about. You don’t need to do anything for me, Magnus.”

At the sound of his name in the lips of the one he loved most, Magnus flinched though he kept it to himself as much as he could, even when he wasn’t sure his eyes wouldn’t betray him. He looked at Alec then, straight in the eye and nodded.

“My apologies, Alexander, but I do hope you get to understand this,” the warlock moved his hands in the air; in the hopes, he was getting through Alec.

“I understand you want me to remember you,” Alec said to him as he moved to the edge of the chair where he’d been sitting, pushing Izzy away as she tried to make him be quiet, “I know it’s what you all want, but I’m not…I’m not sure that’s what needs to be done,” Alec returned his stare, taking everybody else aback but Magnus.

“This isn’t about me, Alexander. Much as I wish you did remember me, I don’t think it’s fair for you to go on living with a piece of you missing, and not that I’m so conceited as to think that that piece is me. This is things you have experienced, places you have visited, friends you have made,” Magnus answered pointing at Catarina who blushed slightly before lowering her head, “you might recover your memories and perhaps never want to see me again because I have absolutely no idea what you think of this whole thing, because you haven’t spoken to me in all this time, but even if that’s what will happen, at least I want you to have the right to do so on your own volition, not because a demon decided to play with you.”

Magnus stood up then and left his drink on the coffee table. He suddenly felt as if he were lacking air. The room was becoming smaller around him. It had been the first time in a while that he and Alec had been at the same place at the same time and had shared more than a couple of polite words. He’d tried, by the Angel that he’d tried to give him space and not lose whatever little patience he had left, but it was all too much. He’d accepted that everybody’s attention was on Alec because his attention was on Alec, but all this had also affected him. And if it was Asmodeus who was behind it, then it was personal and he was neither willing nor ready to let Alec pay for his sins.

He walked towards his balcony and leaned on it. He could hear the others murmuring inside in the living room, but he chose to not pay attention to them.

“Magnus…”

“Isabelle?”

The woman came to him and hugged him. The gesture took him by surprise but Magnus returned the hug. He’d been deprived of human contact and he welcomed it.

“I’m so sorry, Magnus, this must be so hard on you,” she began and simply turned to look into the distance. This was the type of conversations he’d been dreading lately. He didn’t reply to her focused on the lights of the Brooklyn Bridge, “but you need to understand, Alec…”

Magnus cut her off then. He held Izzy’s hands and squeezed them slightly.

“I’m not mad or upset and I understand all this, or have I given you the impression that I don’t?” Izzy shook her head and Magnus sighed, “right now though, I don’t need to be patronizing either. If he doesn’t want me to, I won’t do anything, but then, I’ll look for something else to do, and then something else. I owe it to him to try and fix this. As I said to him, this isn’t about me, it’s about him having the right to lead the life he wants and for that he needs to be whole, or are you telling me he’s just having a great time now that he’s back to shadow hunting?”

“You don’t need to be cruel, Magnus. You know things haven’t been easy for him, that he sometimes wakes up in the middle of the night scared because his dreams are empty and the fear of reliving his fall is too much.”

“And you want me to stay put and do nothing about that?” he asked her, a serious tone in his voice, “If I can figure out this whole Edom thing, then I might be able to help him; that’s all.”

“But this is not your duty,” Alec interrupted them. He’d been by the balcony door listening to their conversation and decided to intervene. “Magnus, you don’t have to do this.”

“And what are _you_ going to do then, Alec?”

The Shadowhunter was taken aback by the way Magnus had said his name. Up to that point, he’d always been caring and called him Alexander, not that the change could make any difference, still it stung. He noticed a change in his demeanor. Magnus seemed lost somewhere in his mind, not there. He was so different from the man who had taken care of him while at the hospital and then at this very loft. Alec noticed how Izzy left them, giving them some space to figure things out.

“I don’t know, Magnus,” he responded truthfully.

It had been a fact that everything had been a bit too much for him. The hospital and its whitewashed walls and overly clean smell. Then this loft, so different from there and so full of color and a life he couldn’t identify with. Then the Institute and its ever dark, gloom magnificence. And finally, the place where he had been living with his mother and Max, a place they had made a home by themselves. The past month had meant a lot of changes. He’d found himself in a position in which he could stir his life to any direction. He’d spent hours building a relationship with his mother, brothers, and sister. The man in front of him was still a puzzle he hadn’t been able to put together in his mind.

There was something that told him he could trust Magnus. A man who was always over the top for what he’d heard. A man who was now facing him with no makeup and a stare that seemed able to pierce into his very soul. And yet, his lack of knowledge of him made him weary. He’d been able to recover the part of him that was Jace. There had been nights where he’d woken up scared and screaming and it had been his parabatai who had been able to get to him and help him regain his composure. He’d been able to find Jace inside his soul, a warmth and a love so big he could understand how people could get it confused with love.

Even Catarina had been a constant presence and she made sure to bring little Madzie along with her and he’d been able to rebuild their relationship. He loved the afternoons he’d been spending with Madzie and Max and the friendship those two were making for themselves.

However, he hadn’t been able to find Magnus anywhere in him. Not his memories or his feelings. And he was trying to figure out why in spite of his rejections Magnus was as still trying to help him.

“Alec?” That Magnus called him like that again annoyed him. He wasn’t going to do anything about it, though. A word from him could destroy the little peace they were having right then.

“Do as you please,” Alec responded and left Magnus standing there, deep in his thoughts.

Magnus watched him leave and sighed. He was trying hard to understand him, but couldn’t make any sense of a lot of things. He leaned over the balcony and put his hands together, resting his head on his forearms.

“Magnus?” Maryse’s voice brought him back from his musings and the warlock gifted her a faint smile. “What is it that you want to do?” she asked him, crossing her arms across her waist, embracing it, fearful.

Magnus signaled her to come to his side and she did so. She was standing by him and noticed him snapping his fingers and magic suddenly surrounded them.

“Mag…”

“Runes,” he said and she understood he wanted a bit of privacy. Maryse nodded and encouraged him to speak. “Something you don’t know about me is that my demonic parent is Asmodeus,” he saw her open her eyes big in surprise and was thankful when she kept her thoughts to herself, “since the seal Alec had in his mind is from Edom, I’ve been thinking about paying him a visit and see how I can make things right.”

“Magnus…  I don’t think you should…”

The warlock cut her off and turned, still leaning on the railing, looking at her, “all my life I’ve been selfish enough to want the one I love to choose me. Well, he already did and went against the world for me. Now, I’m choosing him and I’m not leaving one single stone in Edom unturned until I bring him back, to you, to your family, to everyone who cares about him,” Magnus said with certainty.

“And to you, too?” she asked, caressing his cheek softly.

“I hope so,” it was then that Magnus broke and let out a pained sigh. He turned towards the bridge again, avoiding Maryse altogether.

The woman simply hugged him. Her heart on her throat as she tried to comfort him.

 

 

 

Jace had called him that day and Magnus was grateful for the distraction. Ever since the evening with the Lightwoods and Luke just a few days before, he had been restless. He knew he was waiting for the right time to do things and Catarina had become an annoying constant. Ever since he’d confided in her about going to Edom, she was determined to not let him go. She had been trying to convince him and things had gone south between them when he had shouted at her.

_“You are a healer, a pacifist! You’ve never done war!”_

_“And every time you have an idea is worse than the previous one! This a suicidal mission, Magnus! Get all the help you can!”_

He pressed the bridge of his nose with his right index and thumb. He hated fighting with Catarina, but he needed to keep her safe. Magnus knew she meant well, but she also knew Madzie and Alec would need her and just the thought of going to Edom would harm them. He had to make sure she remained in New York taking care of things in case he didn’t return from Edom. So far, he had conjured a spell on his loft and everything in it. As the place had been infused with his magic for years, it would respond only to him and he wanted that in the event of him not returning, it would respond to Catarina. If he didn’t make it back, he needed it to recognize Catarina and open its doors and its secrets for her. He was leaving all his possessions to Catarina and Madzie. The rest of their inner circle could help themselves to anything they wanted.

He was hoping Catarina would forgive him one day, however, he shoved his fears down on a corner of his soul and proceeded to pour some drinks. Lately, doing it manually brought a certain peace he never knew was needed. That Jace had called was just a few hours ago just to make sure he was alright was something that warmed his heart. He and Jace had sort of grown closer as time passed by and having been roommates had definitely encouraged that.

The fact was he needed Jace’s help more than anything. Any of the women currently involved in his life would try to stop him and he needed someone to either help him or protect him at a weak time and Jace might be just the person to do that.

The Shadowhunter sauntered into his home and he was relieved. Jace had that thing about him. He could do what he wanted and nobody would stop him. There was trust between them and Magnus welcomed him by offering him a drink.

Jace looked conflicted. He had dark bags under his eyes and he seemed worried. Magnus frowned and invited him to sit. The conversation wasn’t going to be exactly pleasant and he was bracing himself for it.

“You look like shit,” at Jace’s words, Magnus lifted his head in surprise and chuckled, and at Jace’s face, Magnus laughter came out as a roar, from deep in his chest. It had been days since he’d had a heartfelt moment like this and when he saw Jace’s questioning look, he knew they had started on the right foot.

“I was just thinking the same, Jace,” he admitted and as the blond man chuckled and had a big gulp of his drink, Magnus continued, “I guess I’m in a much worse condition than I thought.”

Jace nodded. He was sitting comfortable and pulled forward, his arms resting on his thighs, his legs half spread. Magnus looked at him and took a deep breath.

“I guess it wasn’t just a fleeting thing, after all,” Jace said and Magnus grimaced. Jace was referring to the conversation they’d had once on his terrace, right after he and Alec had taken a milestone of a step forward in their relationship. At the thought of that Magnus felt his pain expanding, engulfing him to the point he felt his knees trembling. It hadn’t just been the fact that Alec was staying away from him. It had been weeks since Magnus had last held Alec’s hand and the time at the hospital didn’t count. He missed their time together, the soft mornings when Alec would wake him up among kisses and he could see his hair messy and his eyes still groggy as he looked for Magnus to just feel him close. He’d never taken Alec for granted, that was a rule in his life because he knew the pain of losing someone while learning to move on faster though easier. It had been almost a hundred years since someone had come abruptly into his life taking it by storm. And then there had been Alec with his sometimes-absurd sense of duty and honor, a man who loved so deeply and with such honesty that Magnus had been lost; by his side, he’d learn a new meaning to the word affectionate. The Shadowhunter was one of the strongest he knew but was also the biggest mush of love when they were by themselves. And now, Alec wouldn’t even look at him and Magnus was used to the look of disgust in some Nephilim to not be able to recognize it, but it was different with Alec. There were absolutely no emotions towards him on his part. It was as if he had been so completely wiped from his being that Magnus didn’t stand a chance now. Being with him in the same room always made Alec jumpy and he would avoid him at all cost. That had hurt him the most. Perhaps he’d gotten too used to Alec and his youth and his eagerness to be around him. He missed Alec. He missed him so very much. And his pain sometimes crept around him like a shadow and it held on to him right and sometimes he could feel that shadow around his heart squeezing and the pain was too much. He almost let out a hurtful moan when Jace continued talking, bringing him back from his reveries; “I’m sorry about that, by the way,” Jace offered and Magnus nodded, “How are you really doing, Magnus?”

Alec was definitely not a fleeting thing. He’d never been. However, Magnus was an old person even if his appearance didn’t give it away. His memory wasn’t as good as it could have been, but he knew Alec was one of those people he would never be able to let go of and forget. He let his head rest on the back of the chair and fixed his eyes on the ceiling, being well aware he was going to have to speak up at some point.

“I don’t know, Jace,” he answered as truthfully as he could. Magnus straightened himself on the chair and left his drink on the table. Funny thing, he’d been making those to leave them untouched. “Everything that’s happened… it has… I don’t know.”

Jace nodded noticing Magnus’ voice breaking.

“I almost lost my parabatai once, Magnus. I know what you mean.”

At that, Magnus let out a sarcastic laugh and stood up, turning his back on Jace.

“Remember when you were gone with Valentine?” Magnus started turning halfway to look at Jace who simply nodded, “we were at the Institute and Alec was desperate looking for you. I wasn’t able to track you and he was losing his shit, you know? I tried to comfort him and he lashed out at me. He told me that day about your bond, about how if he had lost you, he would have lost a part of himself. I didn’t understand it then, but after I saw you when you brought him back right in this same loft a few days later, that’s when I understood who you were for each other. And I’ve read about you being parabatai, I’ve read that it goes beyond any other bond you make in life, Jace, and I’ve thought many times about who I am to him then if you’re so important to him, and I’ve realized that what we have might very well go beyond that, and yet, I am the one who can’t be there with him, even though I’m right here for him.”

Magnus heard Jace moving in his chair. They were silent for a few minutes and he was grateful when Jace didn’t say anything back. He needed to be honest with himself, and this was perhaps, the moment to do it.

“Don’t get me wrong. I know who you are to him, I’ve just… what we have is so much more than you all think. You look at me and pity me and I can’t fight you all and tell you to go screw yourselves because I don’t have the strength to do it. I’m not doing fine, Jace. The two words he’s shared with me were to tell me he doesn’t remember me and apparently doesn’t want to either. With Alec gone… it’s the first time I’m in a reversed position, it’s like I’m the one who’s dead and he the one who has moved on,”

“Magnus don’t…”

“What do you think he would’ve done if this had happened to me, Jace?” Magnus saw the man open his eyes wide baffled by Magnus’ words, “do you think he would’ve sat down and waited for me to remember him on my own?”

“Not a chance,” Jace said shaking his head, “he would’ve gone to hell just to bring you back to him.”

“My thoughts exactly. This is killing me, Jace. He can’t remember me and yet I was the last thing he thought of before all this happened and he lost even that and now I’m nothing to him, nothing,” he sighed

“What are you talking about?” Jace stood up and came to him, standing before Magnus who started retelling him about the day at the City of Bones when he could see inside of Alec’s mind for the first time since the accident. He told him in between sobs, how he could see a blank space, and how he found other blank spaces surrounded by other memories he could recognize. And underneath it all, he’d found a trace of magic he had felt before, back at the hospital when Catarina had shown him the damage Alec had suffered and how she had healed him but this time, he could see it clearly.

“That magic is from Edom, it’s what I’ve told Maryse and the others, and I think there’s a way for me to fix this, and when I do, Alec will be back and we, he and I, will work things out. I can’t lose him like this, Jace. I am not.”

Jace put his hand on his shoulder and squeezed. He didn’t know how to comfort Magnus or anyone else outside his own family and Clary, but he wanted the warlock to know he understood him. When Alec was at the hospital he didn’t know what to do. Izzy had been the one talking to Catarina because he’d frozen. Underhill and his team had seen Alec falling from the building and he’d activated Alec’s iratze. They had tried to prevent him from hitting the ground but the building he had fallen off had been too high. They had tried all they could to save him but then Izzy and Jace had arrived and their first reaction was to take Alec to Catarina, as they knew Magnus wasn’t in town. Jace’s started sobbing himself then, and told Magnus how they’d spent those days at the hospital, waiting for Alec to react and for Magnus to arrive and how he had stopped feeling his parabatai at some point.

At his words, Magnus looked at Jace, remembering the night when they went to Lake Lynn. Alec had fallen on the floor writhing in pain as his parabatai rune disappeared and he cried out Jace’s name. The warlock held Jace by the arm and encouraged him to continue.

“I know I lost him for a second and that now he is back and I can’t for a second imagine what you’re going through, but if it is a thousandth o what I felt when Valentine lied to me and I lost Clary, then I won’t let you lose Alec, Magnus. And he can’t lose you either. I’ve seen him wandering, lost in his thoughts, trying hard to figure out what’s missing in his life and it can only be you.”

“Jace, you don’t need to patronize me, I…” Magnus started to turn, not willing to face Jace anymore.

“I’m not. Look at me and tell me if you really think I’m patronizing you, Magnus,” Jace grabbed Magnus by the neck and made him look him in the eye, “you said there might be a way to fix this. Tell me what I can do to help you.”

Magnus sighed relieved. This conversation had been hard enough as it was and now they could move on to what really mattered. They would, he said to himself, once they put themselves together and stopped crying over losing the ones they had loved the most.

 

 

 

Magnus magiced a few a fancy chalks to draw the summoning pentagram. He didn’t have Clary’s skills but he knew his way around them, especially one such as this. As he had agreed with Jace, the Shadowhunter would be watching over him making sure things didn’t go south. He was summoning Asmodeus and it required all his attention. If Asmodeus refused turning things back to normal, then Jace could intervene and even kill him if necessary but for now, just knowing he was around was enough reassurance.

Magnus sighed. It had been a long time since he had spoken to his father and even longer since they’d had a civil conversation. And Magnus knew that things were going to be beyond complicated as he was there to demand answers and a resolution to things, he wasn’t negotiating.

The warlock pulled out an ancient parchment from a tube made out of bone, the smell of it was old and if he were a mundane, he’d be worried the parchment would disappear by simply contact with air, but it was a warlock item, and they knew how to take care of their things, more so when they were magical.

This pentagram was intricate and powerful. It contained symbols and names in a language older than time itself. Magnus wasn’t worried though. He had used it before and the words he needed weren’t contained there. He had waited for a night with no moon, a night of Hecate, the ancient Goddess of magic. A powerful night for warlocks. He started by emptying his mind, letting thoughts of his mother and fathers overflow it. He knew there hadn’t been any love between them, what with Asmodeus pretending to be her husband and tricking her into having his son, but he had seen something special in her, and though regretful, Magnus allowed himself to use his memories of her to lure him out. Soon enough, there was nothing but Asmodeus, his mother, and himself in his mind.

Magnus was wearing plain clothes and barely any makeup. He’d chosen to prepare for this summoning as he used to in the past. He fasted and wasn’t wearing any of his jewelry. Magnus had realized how disheveled he had been looking lately but wasn’t in the mood to dress up and be his better outer self. He’d been grieving, thus, he went for his old ways.

He made a protection circle outside the pentagram and used a strand of Jace’s hair so that the warding would know him and allow him in in case he needed him. Once he was ready with it, he stood at one of the points of the pentagram, barefoot over the cold tiles of his own terrace and put his hands together, right over left, then he moved the right one on the opposite direction, fingers over wrist, his left hand its perfect mirror, he then snapped his fingers and his usual blue flames flared, as he brought them towards his chest as if he were praying.

“My father, who are in Hell, unhallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, in Edom as it is in Hell, forgive not my sins, for in that fire of fires there shall be neither loving kindness, nor compassion, nor redemption, my father, who makes war in high places and low, come to me now, I call you as your son, and incur myself the responsibility of your summoning”

Magnus could feel the power of the new moon flowing through him, Hecate blessing him as he called for the one he needed. A whirlwind came to be and then a shape started to form. Magnus frowned as he saw his father slowly coming to be in front of him. The first thing he noticed in the middle of the dark around them was his cat-like eyes shining bright. Magnus had felt conflicted in the past about how his own eyes were so similar to his father’s, while everything else; he’d inherited from his mother. He’d heard of other children of Asmodeus, but none who had inherited cat eyes such as his. Magnus waited, giving time to the Prince oh Hell to finish his grand entrance and took careful note of how his body was as tall as Alec’s perhaps a few inches taller, but he if he hadn’t known better, he’d said Asmodeus barely had any flesh under the skin. This time however, he’d gotten ridden of the wire around his head though he could see a few fresh scars here and there.

He was taking his time, the bastard, Magnus thought, but he was soon facing his father as he came to him flesh and bone.

“You disturb me, my son,” Asmodeus greeted him and Magnus twisted his mouth. He wasn’t expecting a warm hello, but it was clear his father hadn’t forgotten their bad blood. Obviously.

“Father,” he answered, annoyed by the fact that his magic recognized Asmodeus and responded to his. His gold-green cats eyes were in full display and he saw his father’s eye slits closing as his mouth curled upward. Magnus closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He was on a mission and wasn’t going to be derailed from it, “I called you because I need you to do something for me.”

“Is that so? I would have thought you never wanted to do anything with me,” Asmodeus said, his voice sounding amused.

Magnus sighed deep. This was going to be hard and probably long, but he needed to take his chances.

“I didn’t call you because I want to, but because as I said, I need something from you,” Magnus said, opening his arms to the sides as he leaned forward just a little. He knew he had been on edge for days but he had been working on his emotions. He didn’t want Asmodeus to feed off of them and he had warned Jace to keep his at bay as well. The last thing he needed was the demon drunk on his pain. “My…someone…I care about was attacked by one of your demons from Edom, it took his memories and I need to retrieve them. I need you to give them back.”

Asmodeus had been looking at him, paying attention to the nuances of his voice; to the way he moved and the way his eyes looked so much like his own. The Prince of Hell smirked and his sharp pointed teeth were on display as he was preparing to enjoy a taste of Magnus’ emotions, and yet, nothing was coming off of him.

“Memories? I cannot believe you are asking me for something so basic. I am Asmodeus, Prince of Edom, do I look like the type of ruler who would meddle with someone’s memories?”

“You do enjoy devouring them and these are important memories, why wouldn’t you want them?”

Asmodeus took a step forward under Magnus’ watchful stare. He did enjoy memories, his whole kingdom was fueled by them, the valak were amongst those who could steal memories the best, but there hadn’t been any rogue demons lately, much less any food for them. What Magnus was telling him, was it true, meant that someone was acting behind his back and that also meant he had been getting sloppy. Lilith was far from Edom’s usual life lately and so, she wasn’t an option. As he thought of this, he saw Magnus losing his patience, his emotions slowly coming to the surface as annoyance took precedent.

“That’s it, my son,” he started, but as he took a second step and touched the lines of the pentagram he felt magic holding him back, forcing him to stay where he was standing, he felt trapped, not being able to move,  “what are you doing? Magnus?”

Magnus’ hands were sparkling though this time they were no longer blue.

“I need answers and I need them now, father.”

Asmodeus could not move anymore. The pentagram, when he looked at it, was one to bind him to do the will of the one who had called him. He knew the second he heard Magnus’ voice that their conversation was going to be rich and priceless even if it could’ve been short but this was getting out of hand. In all their years, and the one of two encounters they had had, Magnus had always kept his distance and had maintained his position of not wanting anything to do with Asmodeus. He could never get over his mother’s death and had blamed him for it. Even though he had always felt drawn towards this son of his, to the one who was the most powerful among his offspring, he’d kept to himself and had never asked for anything from him and that had always fascinated him. Well, not until that night.

“What do you want?” Asmodeus hissed, losing his usual composure. Pushing forward as the pentagram’s magic grew stronger. That kind of magic was supposed to stay hidden. When had Magnus gotten a hold of it? Outside the terrace, he could feel the weather responding to his emotions. He saw Magnus take a couple of steps toward him, keeping a safe distance. As he looked down, Asmodeus saw the protecting circle, around them and beyond he saw a seraph blade shining and a Shadowhunter hiding in the shadows.

“What do you take me for, Magnus? You think you can defeat me? Me? Your father? Your magic comes from me! I can command it and it will respond to me! You will never hurt me! And yet I’m curious, you’ve got my attention, what is it that you want from me?!”

Magnus brought his hand to the front. He didn’t need to explain himself, he just needed to channel what he was feeling and let it speak for himself. He knew he was going against his biggest enemy, but he also knew this was the one chance he had.

“I said I need someone’s memories! Alec Lightwood’s! Who took them? Do _you_ have them? Do you father? Do you hate me so much that you needed to attack the one closest to my heart?! I know you feed off of emotions, that it fuels your realm like no other thing, but they have to be given freely. Why did you take his memories of me?!”

At his words, Asmodeus could see how Magnus hands were glowing, but they were no longer blue. He knew his son well enough; he’d followed him for centuries and had seen him become something greater than he’d ever thought. And now here he was, demanding answers on a matter he had no knowledge of. And most of all, he could see how he owned his magic like no other warlock had before.

Asmodeus saw Magnus’ golden cat eyes shining bright, determined. He could finally feel him, noticing the despair, the pain, and the determination in him. His magic, Magnus’ had a warning intertwined in it, _come closer to me and mine and I will destroy you_. The Prince saw stand, as if ready to fight him, and saw the flames in his hands fluctuate from amber to orange and from the corner of his eyes he noticed that the Shadowhunter had noticed it too.

“Your beloved lost his memories of you and you think I took them?” Asmodeus spat at him, walking back to the center of the pentagram. Its magic was piercing his skin and he saw how it responded to Magnus’ who hadn’t moved another inch. Asmodeus saw him in control, calculating his next step. The Shadowhunter was indecisive fight him or take care of Magnus. However, the next second, Magnus moved his hands as if in a dance, he brought his right one from right to left above the left which he swiftly moved to the right, he saw him chanting in a language he had forgotten, the one that could bring any kind of harm to him and cursed that son of his for having a means to have him in this position.

“I, Magnus, summoned thee, Asmodeus, Prince of Edom and I demand that you answer my question! Who took Alec Lightwood’s memories?!” Asmodeus saw the wind blowing harder around them, and the lights on the street flickering with Magnus’ voice. The sky turned gray and he could hear thunder in the distance.

“What are you doing, Magnus?!”

“I, Magnus, summoned thee, Asmodeus, Prince of Edom and I demand that you answer my question! Who took Alec Lightwood’s memories?!” The second time he said those words Asmodeus felt his son’s magic growing stronger and noticed how the flame in his hands were turning reddish. He saw in a split second how the Shadowhunter’s stance changed and he was now ready to jump at him. So much for a chance to use him against Magnus.

“I, Magnus, summoned thee, Asmodeus, Prince of Edom and I demand that you answer my question! Who took Alec Lightwood’s memories?! Answer me!” This time, the command turned into something he couldn’t avoid. Asmodeus’ cat eyes shone bright and the slits in them were nothing but a line as he frowned in pain, falling on his knees. He was chained to the pentagram, the protection circle Magnus had cast around it was weighing on him. He hissed, showing his sharp pointed teeth and the scars on his forehead started bleeding. When he turned to look at Magnus, his son was an opposite mirror to him. He was standing tall, his own cat eyes shining with determination, its golden as pure and bright as his own wings had once been. The power in his hands betrayed him, though. Even when they couldn’t call each other family, Magnus was his son all right. The one he was most proud of.

Magnus’ magic wasn’t giving him a respite. Asmodeus felt as if he was losing and yet, he called up his own power and his hands shone just like Magnus’ although the warlock didn’t notice. A storm started far from there lighting and thunder rumbling loud. He took a last look at Magnus and knew he couldn’t wait any longer, his son’s spell compelled an answer from him and there was nothing that would stop him from speaking up.

“I DON’T KNOW!” Asmodeus screamed as the pain from the pentagram’s restrains ran through him, guided by Magnus’ magic, which collided with his own. Magnus frowned at his words, but knew there was no way his father was lying to him. The blast of their magic facing each other was so big, that Asmodeus was thrown back hitting the protection circle and getting a lot more hurt than he already was, while Magnus was thrown back towards the entrance of his terrace breaking the door.

Jace ran to him, to help him stand up, but Magnus dismissed him, standing up and running towards his father.

“How can you not know? The magic of Edom was imprinted all over his mind?!”

“The magic of Edom, yes, but Hell has many places in it,” Asmodeus responded in between coughs. He wasn’t looking at Magnus. He was on his hands and knees trying to recover.

Magnus nodded. He was limping after all and took a hard step that send a sharp pain through his leg and hip. One snap of his fingers and Asmodeus flinched. This time, Magnus did notice.

“You are free to go,”

“This Alec must be really important to you if you are so willing to go against me, my son,” Magnus saw Asmodeus standing up with difficulties and although he knew this night would come back to bite him in the ass one day, he was willing to take the risks that would come with it. He nodded and Asmodeus flinched at his own pain. “Don’t you ever dare do something like this again,” Asmodeus warned him.

Jace was next to Magnus then, his seraph blade shining bright as he pulled it up, menacing towards the Prince of Hell. Magnus shook his head, signaling that there wouldn’t be more problems beyond the heavy rain falling over them and the destruction of this terrace.

“If you didn’t someone in Hell did and I’m going to find out who, and when I do, I’ll destroy him and I’ll give Alec his memories back,” his voice, when Asmodeus heard him, told him he wasn’t playing.

“This is a dangerous game you are playing, and I’ll be waiting for you to call me again, my son, and when you do, I shall take everything from you and I’ll feast in your pain,” he stated and Jace moved in his place uneasy, “you will pay for this, a son should never lift a hand against his father.”

Magnus nodded accepting his challenge.

“By the Morning Star, father, I shall finish this that I started. Do not get in my way,” the warlock didn’t wait for the Prince to say anything else. He snapped his fingers and the pentagram was gone and in a puff of dust and shadow, Asmodeus was gone as well. Magnus fell on the floor then, Jace by his side trying to help him.

“Magnus, what now?”

“Let me heal myself and clean this mess first, and then, I need to plan how I’m going to go to Hell,” he answered panting.

The rain didn’t stop until the next day.

  
  
  
  


 

Being a Prince of Hell had its perks. He could torment others and enjoy their pain. He could mind his own business and didn’t have to play the Good Samaritan. And being he, it meant he could play with God’s plaything at ease. Something all of nine of them enjoyed a bit too much.

After all, they had cost them Heaven.

The Greater Demon took a big gulp from his goblet and threw it away. He was celebrating. Actually, he’d been celebrating for weeks now and it was about time for him to open old kraters of wine he’d accumulated over the centuries. He needed his strongest wine to be able to get drunk and actually enjoy it.

His triumph, however, could not be known. He walked around his palace in Dudadel, content with being in his own body but bored to death at not being able to move anywhere. He looked at his domain, vast, powerful, and terrifying and grimaced. A Shadowhunter boy had sent him there in a split second. He could still remember the pain he’d felt at being hit by the angelic arrow and the anger at being sent back to a place, which had re claimed him as its own and had chained him to it until he could recover his power.

Damn Valentine! Azazel cursed in his mind. Shadowhunters were troublesome and although he had bargained on him to obtain the Mortal Cup, he shouldn’t have believed he could have an advantage by using the man’s eagerness for power to achieve his own goals. Having had the Mortal Cup would have meant he was taking power from her angelic counterparts and there wasn’t anyone he despised more than angels. Even when he’d been one before.

No, he corrected himself. There were Alec Lightwood and Magnus Bane.

He’d taken his revenge on both. He would love to gloat and let them know that.  All the suffering they were currently going through was _his_ doing. Azazel’s. The valak demon had been a good move and this one, the one he had chosen all by himself, had proven to be worthy of the task. Azazel took another big gulp of his wine but unfortunately for him, it wasn’t having the effect he had hoped for.

Taking the Lightwood boy’s memories of Bane had been just the beginning of his revenge. He had to start working on his next step. If they hadn’t been so ridiculously hung up on each other, he wouldn’t have shown up at Magnus’ place and much less would have tried to ‘protect’ him from him. No, scratch that. Anyone needed protection from him, Azazel. However now, the fact that the warlock might be suffering over not being able to be with the one he loved was one thing. That he needed to destroy him was the icing on the cake.  That filth of a warlock had dared summon him and threatened him. For some reason, Valentine’s daughter’s magic hadn’t worked on him, but still, that someone who wasn’t a full demon would dare call him, raise against him, allied himself with the Shadowhunters and that it had been because of Bane and his relationship with Lightwood that he had ended up chained to Dudadel all over again made his blood boil.

It was also Asmodeus’ fault. He had risen among them all as the strongest. He knew that back in their old days in Heaven, it had been the old wretch who had orchestrated everything with Lucifer, and he had taken every advice from Asmodeus. However, he, Azazel, had managed to poison Lucifer’s mind. It hadn’t been his fault that his plan had failed and the ones loyal to God had found out about them. Michael had come to the with such a force that they hadn’t seen him coming and he had to admit he hated that the current depictions of Michael showed him stepping on a demon, his sword ready to slay him. And he hated even more that the demon resembled the face he had taken upon having fallen from Grace.

Lucifer had turned his back on him eventually, but never on Asmodeus. It had taken him years of unending proving himself so that his own domain built itself around him. However Dudadel demanded a gift. His body bound to that land in exchange for eternal life. Asmodeus had always remained distant. Not once had he acknowledged his wit and ingenious ideas. Not once had he come to him to commend him on his triumphs.

Destroying Bane meant he could throw a real punch at him and that was a chance he was more than willing to take. Asmodeus, first among the Princes, loved to take his children for himself, devour their immortality in order to maintain himself at the top of his own game. Perhaps that was why he had kept Magnus alive all this time, so that he could enjoy eating him up when his times comes.

And when he obliterated Magnus from existence, then Asmodeus would come to him and would look upon him with fear and awe for Azazel would have destroyed one of his.

Azazel had never begotten any children of his own. Maybe it had to do with the fact that his body was ever bound to Dudadel and he never used it outside and the bodies he used well, he was sure they were obliterated once worn out. He had never had any attachments with a human. His enjoyment of them was limited to how much they loved war. And by Lucifer that humans had the best of times when they fought. That had been the reason for him to teach them the art of war and had gifted them with the weapons to destroy one another. How much pleasure had he had in the past every time a new war started. He’d been there, a non-corporeal, constant companion of the different sides of way guiding them towards the destruction of their enemies and themselves.

Weapons were beautiful and when he created one and that one gave way to one created by the ones, one that was better and improved and could cause more harm than the original, he felt proud of the mayhem he could cause. For humans were his children. The ones he had created as if he had molded. Much like God had created Adam and Lilith and then that wrench of Eve.

His art had been a better, much clever way of getting rid of humans than he would've ever thought.

He thought of Michael and Gabriel then. His older brothers, the ones closer to God. The former was God’s right hand, the one who wields His sword, the one with enough power to create his own Heaven, the latter, God’s voice and strength. Those two had been the first one to stand on the line to protect their Father’s little experiment. He wondered for a second what his brothers up in Heaven would be thinking of what he and the others had done to humanity. They had shown their true colors over the centuries, had they not? Even those with angelic blood had, and nobody had amused him as Valentine had in these times when war was frowned upon in spite of being a day-to-day thing for them.

Valentine had been a worthy ally. One he despised as much as he admired for he had been a mastermind he would have loved to shape had he been willing to let him.

There were no allegiances in Hell, no friendships, no families. He’d wanted the cup to be able to keep the angels from having any power over them demons. He had truly wanted the cup because he wanted all the power to himself. He wanted to prove both Asmodeus and Lucifer of what he could do. Of what he could achieve.

It was time to start setting up the second part of his plan. And what if Hell has to burn down in the process?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Although I’ve found a good deal of information on book Asmodeus, there’s very little on Azazel and I don’t really know the turn they (the Princes of Hell) will take on the TV show, besides Azazel appearing and being sent back to Hell by Alec, so I'm taking some liberties.
> 
> Both Asmodeus and Azazel are real princes of hell within the religious myth of several cultures. Asmodeus was Lucifer’s lieutenant and he and Azazel fought by his side against the angels during their rebellion, they were eventually sent to hell by Michael.
> 
> I used the show’s storyline on Azazel to be able to use him here in this story at will. And I’m using parts of the books lore to complete the image of them that I want. 
> 
> The incantation recited by Magnus when summoning Asmodeus is as it appears in the TMI books and wasn't written by me, but by the books author. 
> 
> I hope it all made sense.
> 
> Ari


	3. Home of Darkness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This part got a little longer than planned and so I had to split it into two. Hope you enjoy it.

Ever since he’d left the Institute, Alec had taken things much easier than ever before. That was something Izzy and everybody else around him had been telling him about his life and, little by little, it had all started making sense. A lot, actually. He was grateful that at least something was. Ever since his accident, everybody seemed to be walking on eggshells around him. At first he’d wondered why that was, but then with time, he had started getting annoyed by it. Alec knew there was no way he could understand it and that was infuriating to him. He’d been recovering and they were all expecting him to behave as if nothing had happened. He’d pretended to be asleep many times just to avoid everybody. He’d been trying hard to understand what was happening to him.

Alec was well aware that he was lacking memories and more so, he had come to know they were important to him. Everything else had returned. His parents, his siblings, Jace, Clary and the others, Simon the vampire included. He’d remembered his childhood, his training, everything from his very first memory until the day of the attack was clear in his mind. The fog was mostly gone. Alec knew he’d hurt Jace deeply when he couldn't remember him at first, but then, he’d come to him slowly until their parabatai bond had been as strong as it always was. If he could, he’d explained to Jace that he could feel him but couldn’t understand him. He’d tell him that his voice and his emotions had been clear to him, familiar to him in many ways, but that it had taken him time to know which one were his and which ones were Jace’s.

And yet, a lot of things converged in the person of Magnus Bane. He was the one blank spot in his memory. He couldn’t recall the first time he’d ever seen him or what he’d said to him that day. Magnus was a torn he hadn’t been able to heal from and more so, Magnus was the one person he had hurt the most. Alec was lying down in his bed as he thought of him. He’d never meant for any of that to happen. Hurting others was definitely not something he would do on purpose. However, he had learned little by little, he had apologized, he had made amends. He’d tried at least. That was more than he could give at the moment. He just hadn’t been able to apologize to Magnus.

Over the weeks, as he had gotten better, he’d been able to revisit everything that had happened. Back when he’d just got out of the hospital, they’d taken him to Magnus’ loft. He’d felt awkward being there. Alec covered his head with his left arm as the right one rested on his stomach. That place brought back so many things he hadn’t been able to compartmentalize in his memory. It had felt like a place known to him at times. When Magnus told him he could take the main room, its smell of sandalwood, the softness of the sheets brought him calm. It was as if they recognized him and he had come to despise the fact that he couldn’t return the feeling. At nights, he would wake up screaming, feeling as if he’d falling so deep into the darkness that what was dearest to his heart was taken from him. Gone. And when he’d sat down looking for answers, he’d realized it wasn’t anyone in his family.

He knew he’d hurt Magnus when he came to his side, a worried expression on his face, and he’d rejected him, not being able to stand his preoccupation and desire to help. It wasn’t that he hated Magnus, it was just that he didn’t know how to behave in front of someone who was expecting him so much from him. The Shadowhunter sighed. He had left Magnus’ loft not because he wasn’t comfortable there, it was as much as it could’ve been expected, and it wasn’t his home, even when everybody and everything else told him that it was.

The institute hadn’t been much different. It was the place where he’d grown up, the place he knew thoroughly, but as he’d walked around it again, he’d felt those blanks in his mind all over again. The hall of ceremonies felt strange to him. Something important had happened there, he’d known it and it crushed him to know that it had been where he was supposed to marry Lydia Branwell, and where he’d professed his love to Magnus. Izzy had told him the story as if it had been a fairy tale, and he felt sorry because although it sounded nice and epic, he couldn’t remember that either.

After a few days, his mother had to take him away from there too. It had seemed as if Magnus hadn’t just been his boyfriend. He’d been so much more than that and in such a short time and he couldn’t bring just one sliver of a memory to him and it made was about to make him go mad.

Things had changed, and he had come to hate the fact that he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what. Everything else had fallen into place, and he had found a sort of solace in that apartment he shared now with Maryse. She had given him time and space, Magnus rarely went there, even though he knew he spoke daily to his mother. Magnus was providing for their every need. Magnus was helping Maryse find a job. Magnus was there whenever he uttered a sound. Magnus. Magnus. Magnus.

It all revolved back around him. And yet, he, Alec, had been the one that had been avoiding having any contact with him. He didn’t know how to face him, or how to be grateful beyond saying a few words. He became a master at avoiding his eyes or how he closed his fists when Alec wouldn’t let him touch him.

Alec turned over his stomach and buried his face on his crossed arms. Catarina had been perhaps the one person who hadn’t pushed the topic of the other warlock. She had come to see him under a different light though and he knew it was all because of her. She had treated him with such respect, kindness, and care that he felt he owed her more than he could ever repay her. She and Madzie had become constant companions in a life that was still covered by dark shadows he still didn’t know how to dissipate. When he’d first mentioned all this to Catarina, she’d told him a story, one so different from what he’d heard from the others, that it had touched him deeply;

_‘Once upon a time there was a prince. He was the eldest son of a powerful family in a kingdom of light and shadows. He grew up used to taking care of others. He had been born under the fullest moon their land had ever seen, and so, he took after Her and the Moon Goddesses and that was why his symbols were a bow and arrows. This young man used to be a great fighter who loved his kingdom and whose people loved him back, however, he had always lived outshone by his beloved younger brother, who had been born under the sun. He hadn’t minded though. He knew he was meant for great things, for feats nobody else would be able to accomplish, so he let it be after he understood that and let it go. Besides, he loved his Sun brother above all else and so, he was content. The siblings grew tall and mighty with their sister by their side and their youngest a few years after her. They were all great warriors, makers of great deeds, but, in the middle of it all, the Moon Prince knew there was something that was missing in his heart._

_‘One day, during a mission, the Moon Prince met another prince, one that came from a land of darkness and magic. The night they met, they fought side by side against an enemy so powerful that even the dark was afraid. The Magic Prince had been living in solitude for many years. He’d chosen to live like that for he had had a long life in which he had lost most of the people he had ever loved. However, on that night the princes found, without knowing, the one that their hearts were looking for. The Magic Prince knew when he was alone at home, that he wanted to be by the Moon Prince for as long as he could.’_

Madzie had come closer to them that night and had sat by Alec’s legs on the floor playing with the dolls he’d brought for her. He’d touched her head and stroked it for a while as Catarina smiled at them and continued with her story.

_‘The Magic Prince knew he had met the one that would light up his world. He started chasing after him for many days and nights but the Moon Prince was always aloof as he was afraid of accepting the Magic Prince. So, he devoted himself to his family and his kingdom. And you know why he was so afraid?’_

Catarina had asked them and both Madzie and Alec had been so enthralled by the story and by how she had been using her magic to show them images of the two princes that both youngsters had shaken their heads in silence.

_‘He was afraid because he had never told anyone the truth of his heart. He had always lived hidden by his Sun brother’s light never realizing that he was as bright as any other. He cared for his people, he loved his family, and the Magic prince had come to shake his world and show him that someone could care for him too._

_‘The Magic Prince showed the Moon one what it was like to be free. Slowly, painfully slowly, he taught him that he could spread his wings as wide as they were and that only the sky was the limit to everything he wanted to do. The Magic Prince wanted him to know that whoever he was was perfect and that he didn’t need to hide from himself anymore._

_‘One night though, a princess from another kingdom came to visit. The Moon Prince’s parents had fallen from the grace of their people, and so, she and the Moon Prince stroke a deal to keep their lineages alive. They were to be married and they would protect their kingdoms from all evil. All was fine and the Prince’s parents were happy with the upcoming union; however, at night, the Moon Prince would think of the Magic Prince. He missed his words and the way he walked. He wanted to see him during the day and if possible, at night too. He also remembered the pain in his eyes when he’d told him he was going to marry the Princess._

_‘The Magic Prince’s heart had broken when he found out he had lost the Moon Prince. He had come to like the Princess, for she was fair and kind, but she was taking the Moon Prince away from him. He thought he couldn’t see him being taken away by someone else when all he wanted was for him to be the one who could do so. That was why on the night the Moon Prince was going to leave with the Princess, the Magic Prince showed up at his doorstep. He knew the entire kingdom was there to watch the Prince and the Princess go away and take over their kingdoms to love them and protect them, but the Magic Prince still came to him, and in silence, he walked towards him. When he saw him, the Moon Prince knew he couldn’t live without him.’_

By then, Madzie had already fallen asleep on Alec’s lap and he was holding her in his arms, giving Catarina time to finish her story.

_‘He turned to him, looking at him intently, the Moon Prince came to the Magic Prince, forgetting about everyone else. He forgot about his fears, too. The only thing that mattered to him was how his heart was beating fast in his chest, how his entire being was drawn towards the Magic Prince, and when he came closer enough and grabbed him by his clothes, he kissed him with such intensity and so much love that everybody else gasped in awe and cheered in celebration._

_‘And it was in the arms of the Magic Prince that the Moon Prince learned that the only way for the moon to shine brightly was in the middle of the dark and that it was in the dark that everything magical happened.’_

Alec had nodded back then and had helped Catarina as she had taken Madzie into her arms, sitting back down in her chair. Alec had offered to go home, but Catarina shook his head, showing him the chair again. When he looked into her eyes, he saw that she too was emotional because of her tale.

_‘Why did you tell me this story tonight, Catarina?’_

_‘Because you deserved to know, Alec.’_

_‘Izzy had already told me this story with different words and I still can’t remember him.’_

_‘But when you heard of him, what did you feel then?’_

Catarina had stood up and walked away, Madzie in her arms, and he’d seen them disappear into the little one’s room. A few minutes later she’d come back out, after leaving Madzie passed out because of how tired she’d been. Catarina had sat down next to him and had put her hand over his heart and Alec had closed his eyes at her warmth. He could feel something somewhere there. When Catarina had told them the story, he’d felt as if he knew it, truly know it, not because they had told it to him. He had felt it close as he could picture himself and Magnus in his mind as Catarina’s princes.  

_‘Would it be so bad to get to know him again? I know it’d be a first time for you now, but think about it. You at least owe it to yourself to find out why we’re all so pushy about it, don’t you think?’_

_‘Magnus is not being pushy,’_ Catarina had nodded then and her smile had given him a sense of love and care for him that Alec felt overcome by it. He had had to cover her hand with his for it was overwhelming and although he knew he’d never been prejudiced toward the downworlders, he had never felt so close to the warlocks, _‘perhaps it is he doesn’t want to get to know me again.’_

He buried his face deeper in his arms. He knew things were more complicated particularly for him. There was so much he still didn’t know while at the same time he was willing to take a leap of faith and start all over again.

 _‘Alec_ — _Alec, look at me,’_ she had said, putting his free hand on his face, _‘Magnus thinks he has all the answers to this and he is willing to take any step necessary to help. He just doesn’t know how to approach you, he’s hurting, just as much as you are in your own way, but he cares about you. He thinks that by not being all over you, he’s giving you space to be you without feeling pressured to remember him.’_

 _‘Well, I heard mom telling Izzy he’s taking care of our mundane expenses,’_ Catarina had cut him there and let go of him holding both his hands in hers.

 _‘That’s not what I mean. He loved you back then and he still loves you now. He’s hurting just as you are. You’ve lost your memories of him, but he’s lost you too, all of you, and you both are handling things in the best way you can,’_ Alec had nodded, keeping his thoughts to himself,   _‘listen Alec, just think about this, you can get to know him again, he can end up being your boyfriend again, or just a friend or an acquaintance you say hello to every now and then, but, you’ll get to decide that by yourself.’_

_‘It’s the same thing I heard him say the other day.”_

_‘Then believe he has your best interests at heart, dear,’_

_‘He hates that I’ve barely spoken to him ever since…well, since I woke up at the hospital.’_

_‘Alec, what would you do if you were in his position? Tell me, honestly, what would you do?’ Don’t think of him exactly, just imagine what it would feel like to lose the one you love?’_

_‘He has truly…cared about me like everybody says?’_

Catarina stopped for a second and thought hard. She closed her eyes and when she looked at him again, Alec noticed a big smile plastered on her face.

_‘Magnus has lived a very long life. We, warlocks, are immortal, we love fast and we love deeply because humans’ lives are short compared to ours. But my friend has been alone for a very long time. And when life stops being intense and magical on its own, we start calcifying and we start losing who we are. He had been losing hope even though he had all these things around him and was busy with being High Warlock. And then he met you, and although it wasn’t easy for you two at first, you made it work, and he started living again and you, oh Alec, seeing you two together was like seeing love impersonated. What you have is so rare and special,’_

_‘No one has ever told me that. Just that he was my boyfriend, whatever it meant to them.’_

_‘Don’t let others’ words affect you, not even mine because I’m just a bystander. Look inside yourself, find out what you really want and take it from there.’_

_‘Why are you so kind to me? Is it because of him?’_

_‘Oh no, darling. It’s all you. It’s the way you treat me, and Madzie, and well, perhaps a little bit is about him too. To you, we’re people, not half-demons. That’s made all the difference.’_

After a while, he’d thanked her and when she’d hugged her, he’d taken his time; she’d kissed him and a moment later he’d said his goodbyes and was going through a portal Catarina had opened for him.

Her words had picked his interest even more after that day. That’s why he had started looking for clues into his old life. When they moved out of the Institute, they had only taken their personal belongings. Izzy had made sure she’d packed everything she could find of his and it was all in boxes on a corner in his room. The Clave had determined he was on leave until he was fully recovered and his mother had taken advantage of that. The stacked boxes were the remnants of a life he’d been forced to re discover.

After being at Magnus’ a few days back, he’d decided it was time to put himself together and stop moping around, wandering aimlessly. He was no longer Head of the New York Institute and he was grateful for not having to worry about anyone. Underhill and the others would ask about him every now and then and he always made sure to send them a message as they saved his life.

Alec sat down on the small seat by the windowsill in his room. He had all the lights on, he didn’t care. He wanted to be able to see everything at hand. Izzy had told him there were pictures and books, his iPad and even some clothes here and there. There was a box labeled _‘From the loft_ ’ and he knew it meant Magnus’. He wanted to see for himself, somehow, how close they had been. Catarina’s words and everything he had in front of him were a good start.

 _‘It’s not all of it, big brother, just what we thought you might need the most now,’_ Izzy had always been confident he’d go back to living his old life. He just wasn’t sure what his old life was.

Alec started rummaging through them. He found some old pictures of his family together and of them separately. He laughed at his pictures with Jace and at how silly it was to think that he’d been in love with him once. He just couldn’t recall how he realized it’d never been love at all. There was just the empty realization of his childhood infatuation and he didn’t know how it had happened. Alec sighed, exasperated. Those were the times he tried to avoid the most when his memories were covered by a veil of void he couldn’t lift.

He found a bound leather journal under his family pictures. He remembered keeping it in the last drawer of his room’s desk at the Institute; it was the place Jace and Izzy never bothered to look in. The journal had been a gift from his grandmother when he’d been a child and he’d never used it. However, when he opened it, he realized it wasn’t true. There were theater tickets, a peacock feather or two, he noticed, as he started taking stuff out from different pages that there were napkins with names of locations all over New York and the world; and there were pictures of him and Magnus.

“First time in Tokyo,” he read as he took a strip of pictures out of the journal and close to his eyes. They seemed happy in them. He saw himself, hugging and being playful with the warlock and he closed his eyes, exhaling sharply.

He hated this. Hated not being able to remember someone who seemed to have been so important to him. It wasn’t only what the others have told him, or the fact that he’d offered to take care of him and his mother until they were on their feet, back in control of their lives. It was that as time passed and people told him about Magnus or whenever anyone made a remark about Magnus and him together, he couldn’t bring one image or a feeling to him. He couldn’t remember what it felt like to touch his hand or to be held by him. At times, he’d tried to picture himself close to the warlock, he’d even tried to imagine himself kissing him, and he’d felt something there; but he couldn’t remember anything from the past.

Those were the times when he lost it, because, Catarina’s words back then, had opened a can of possibilities. What if he truly allowed himself to get to know him again? Perhaps it was time to make the effort himself and not leave it all in Magnus’ hands; after all, that’s all he’d been doing. He’d pushed him away and waited for Magnus to come to him. He just hadn’t counted on the warlock to respect him enough to stay away until he was ready to be in the same room with him without him freaking out. He shouldn’t have any expectations. They could become friends. Perhaps, Alec could fall in love, all over again. Perhaps Magnus could love him back, and if he did, would Magnus not be mad because he still couldn’t remember him?  

He continued going through the journal. There were a bunch of first time visiting places, a dried daisy somewhere that had ‘stroll at Central Park’ scribbled next to it. It was driving him mad not being able to remember him. For every day that passed, he was more certain that Magnus did love him, and that he had loved him back. His mind was a mess and it hurt him to try and try and not get where he wanted.

Alec felt frustrated, powerless, and angry. Why would have someone tried to hurt them like this? He knew he was being unfair to Magnus for not being closer to him now, for not letting him be around him; but Alec had seen his eyes, the hurt whenever he couldn’t remember something about him, when he would recoil because his touch felt alien. And yet, Alec could remember how he smelled now, herbs and sandalwood mostly. He could remember waking up and feeling Magnus’ hands around his. He could see him now, whenever he was looking at him and nobody had noticed, how his body was lean yet strong. He’d wanted to come closer to him that day at his house, when he was at the balcony with Izzy. He was looking at them from the door and Alec had seen his neck and how his veins were visible as he spoke to his sister. He could see the muscles under his shirt flexing as he moved and for just that one second, he’d wanted to come closer and hug him from behind, maybe even bury his nose on the soft spot between the neck and shoulder and inhale his scent so deeply that he’d never been able to forget him again.

How could he miss something he didn’t have? How could he long for what could be?

When Magnus was around him, he thought as he crossed his legs in a more comfortable way and put the journal over them, he felt a prickle in his hands, an urge to reach out and touch him afraid that he would disappear. He’d been relying on Magnus to help him figure out things, to solve everything, even though he’d told him it wasn’t his duty. He wanted Magnus to come to him and help him lift the fog in his mind, but he knew it was just his instinct speaking for him. What if they had been broken up and their relationship couldn’t be saved? Why would he not remember him? What if they were so happy someone had tried his or her damnest to curse them by forcing them to go their separate ways?

He hadn’t been able to admit to anyone, but he felt safe around Magnus. It wasn’t like on the first days at the hospital after he woke up when he was someone he didn’t know. Now, Alec knew a little, and he was curious, he wanted to know more. He wanted to get to know him. He still didn’t know why. He just felt like he trusted him, for some reason. And it had been a feeling that had grown slowly. Painfully slowly.

Alec sighed and moved his hand over his face and through his hair. He left the journal and everything on the floor by the windowsill. He looked out and it was starting to rain, and from the thunder and lighting, he figured it was going to be a long time before it stopped. He had always loved New York when it rained.

Alec stretched his body as he leaned forward, pulling the _‘From the loft_ ’ box closer to him. He opened it and the first thing he noticed where clothes, which he started taking out of it. There were a couple of jackets, some fancy shirts of his and a few t-shirts. He noticed some weren’t his as they were rich in colors and their sleeves a bit short to have fitted him. Those he brought to his nose, inhaling deeply. They smelled of Magnus. And he could imagine him wearing them and him close to the warlock admiring his manliness and how gorgeous he was. It made him feel safe and nostalgic. Why would he miss him like this? Why did it make him feel like this? Why did he want to be closer to him? Was his heart already feeling for him what his mind couldn’t remember? They were just clothes, they shouldn’t make him feel like this.

He found a red jacket with black irregular splotches and he smelled it too, this time, he felt uneasy, as if the weight of what he had lost had finally dawned on him. His shoulders suddenly dropped as if that same weight had pushed him as kept pulling things out of the box. He found a few more pictures and a few of arrowheads covered in glitter. He remembered Izzy telling him how Magnus used to wear glitter before. The arrowheads had his name on it and it was clear someone had been playing with them. These weren’t sharp enough to be used and one even had a broken tip.

Alec lifted his head and looked out the window again. He rattled the box, scanning the rest of its contents and found a set of keys at the bottom of it. The keyring had the shape of a cat and the letter _A_ hanging from the same ring and there were a couple of keys in a second ring. He sat back by the windowsill and stared at nowhere. Everything right then went back to Magnus. He wanted to have the warlock around. For some reason, his body craved it. He kept playing with the keyring on his right hand and moved the other through his hair again and as he slid his hand down his neck, right over his block rune. It tingled.

He remembered just then seeing a picture of Magnus and him. It was an intimate moment between them and he wondered who might have taken it. He moved quickly, back to the box and found them. There were several. In one, Magnus was close to him, in the kitchen as he was cooking something and was sort of standing on his tiptoes and watching what he was doing from behind. In another one, Magnus was caressing his cheek, same place, he was now turning toward him. There was one in which he was holding Magnus by the waist as the warlock’s face was hiding against his neck. The last one showed Magnus kissing his rune, in such an intimacy that Alec shivered. He saw himself closing his eyes, his fingers intertwined on Magnus’ back at the touch. He moved his fingertips over the rune again, trying to bring the moment back from what he had seen, and his skin responded to his own touch as if telling him that yes, that was a favorite spot of Magnus and that he had loved it when it was touched by him.

He opened his eyes and gasped for air. There it was, what he was in need of. A confirmation of his that what he had lost had been real and not the desires of others.

He stood up, not minding the fact that it was pouring outside. Perhaps Magnus’ loft had more clues for him and perhaps Magnus himself would be willing to tell him more about them. Perhaps Magnus would let him get close to him, not expecting anything, just let him be close so that he could find the peace he had utterly lost.

_‘[…] you can get to know him again, he can end up being your boyfriend again, or just a friend or an acquaintance you say hello to every now and then…’_

Catarina’s words hit him hard once again and he pouted. This was beyond getting to know Magnus all over again. This was him, Alec, acknowledging that he had started feeling for the warlock. That although his memories of him were gone, he could still feel. His body was proving him he missed him as he could still feel his deflect rune tingling. This was him telling himself that he wanted Magnus in any capacity he would take him although he still needed to know. Even if he never really recovered what he no longer had, he was willing to move forward and try for what he could have from there on.

He decided to go and look for answers as to why he was feeling as conflicted as he did right now. For he was getting clear as to what he wanted but wasn’t sure if Magnus would take him back. He’d rejected him so much he was uncertain.

Alec took one of his jackets and put it on, leaving his apartment and walking out under the pouring rain.

  


 

To say that Asmodeus was angry was an understatement. His son, no matter how he felt about him, had summoned him and had treated him like a puppet. Their encounter had left him with the desire of starting a new world, for his blood was boiling and he wanted to destroy everything in his wake.

Amidst his rage, Magnus’ words echoed in his head. Someone had taken his beloved’s memories, someone from Edom had dared interfere with the life of a Shadowhunter, of the one tied up to Magnus.

Asmodeus screamed in anger, letting go of his magic as it permeated all over Edom. He heard screeching and he knew his power had reached every corner of Edom. Even Lilith’s power, so intimate and tied to his kingdom, recoiled, letting him be.

Edom was a dark image of Idris. Where the City of Glass was bright and was light, Edom was darkness and shadow. He loved that. His mansion, the one he preferred the most, mirrored the one of the highest among the Clave the Shadowhunters loved so much. He walked through it, limping and went into his room. There, asmodei were all over the place, lying down in divans and hiding behind curtains of rich silk and warm colors, who moved to the sides, clearing his path as he went to his room. They went quiet and let him be. They’d have time to share what they had collected for Edom eventually.

Asmodeus was lying on his bed, a four-poster dark wooden piece he’d found on a gothic market on Earth a long time ago. He closed the curtains around him, reveling in the feeling of protection. Sleeping on a bed was a pleasure he’d taken after the humans and he allowed himself to rest. The dark silk sheets embraced him as he closed his eyes. He called up on his magic, his legs and arms still feeling the restraints Magnus had put on them. The memory of it was going to drive him mad. He touched his wrists rubbing them so hard he thought he was going to draw some blood, and the last time such a thing had happened, Michael had almost struck him with his sword.

That was an image he would never forget and one of the many which still fueled his own realm. Now he had another one, Magnus yielding a power neither one of them knew was possible. Asmodeus smirked. Magnus Bane, his son with that incredible woman from Indonesia he had actually cared about, had exceeded every expectation. He allowed himself a moment of selfishness and conjured a warm bath to tend to his body. Magnus had hurt him. He could still feel the shackles around his wrists and ankles. He could still feel Magnus’ magic on him, what was known to him because it came from him and the part the warlock had cultivated through his years and shivered. It had been a long time since someone had managed to reach him and he hated that there still were such incantations.

His bathroom was different from his room. It was more illuminated in it and he enjoyed the bathtub as if he were a kid. It was his favorite place when he needed a break from the delicious flavor of the emotions his asmodei brought to him. He entered the water letting it reach his aching body and sat comfortably.

Asmodeus remembered Michael again. His brother, the one with the power of God, who had cast then away from Heaven for their sin against their Father. Would he punish Magnus, too? He wondered as he sunk into the warm water and it soaked his wounds. A child should never raise his hands against his father, but then again, Magnus hadn’t done that to him; he was just trying to protect the one he loved.

Asmodeus closed his eyes and rested his head on the edge of the tub. He thought briefly of all the children he had begotten and their fates. Magnus was a favorite of his and had always been. There was so much of his mother in him that he’d never brought himself to harm him. He had tricked her into loving him, yes. He had posed as her husband, which was true as well. He never thought she would take her life at the thought of having been with him, a demon, and much less did he imagine she was going to leave her beloved son behind.

The look in her eyes the day he had come forth with his truth was forever imprinted in his mind. It was similar to the one Magnus had had as he demanded his beloved’s restoration.

The Greater Demon felt his magic rising around him. He knew it was his instinct to protect himself what was acting as he was guarded against anyone who dared come after him again. However, his magic was old and more powerful than any other in Hell besides, perhaps, Lilith and Lucifer themselves. He allowed himself that moment to let it touch everything in Edom, from its structure to its asmodei, every demon high or low was scrutinized. He searched for clues and culprits. He searched for lies and betrayal and he did so as the water got cold and he rose, mighty and haughty as he was. With every step he took, his clothes took shape around him until his wired crown pierced his taut skin and he felt a few droplets of blood forming around the tiny wounds completing his task. He came forth to an open area which allowed him to see over Edom. His territory was wide and vast. Lucifer had granted him power beyond anything mundanes could imagine.

And Asmodeus claimed Edom as his own. He called upon the place to answer to him and it didn’t disappoint. Little by little, a foreign magic signature took form and he tasted its sandy texture in his mouth. The Prince of Hell grimaced in disgust. Dudadel, he thought, and he went looking for something to eat as he released his demonic energy in waves which collided with each other.

“Azazel,” he groaned.

Once sated, the Prince decided it was time to act. He loved a good scheme and was always willing to bring pain to others in many ways. Emotions fueled Edom and he had the most fun getting them from others. Once ready, Asmodeus left Edom, he could still feel his energy touching every little thing, bringing his will to every inhabitant of the place. Willingly or not, he was taking everything from them, making it clear who their Master was.

Dudadel wasn’t far from him but he had always hated the place. It was sandy and lifeless and Asmodeus thought about how Azazel had chosen that place all to himself. He had always liked his privacy although they all knew Azazel enjoyed meddling with humans a bit too much. However, he was curious. Why driven Magnus to attack him and what was Azazel’s interest in his son?

He walked through Dudadel, into Azazel’s dwellings, slowly and observing everything around him. It was a deserted place where he could find corpses here and there half coming out of the sand, their weapons still in their hands, and raising high to the sky. Bayonets, swords, spears and any other kind of weapon ever created by humans was there on display. Asmodeus wondered if the decoration wasn’t on purpose.

He allowed himself in and was sort of upset when he didn’t find Azazel there. He was probably walking in his own body, keeping it strong as he never used it outside his realm and if he was correct, it had been a while since he’d known Azazel would do something like that. Some things definitely never changed. He was a demon of habit himself.

Asmodeus saw some wine kraters in a corner at Azazel’s main chambers. He called up his magic and poured some on a goblet that wasn’t full of sand. He brought the goblet to his nose and inhaled deeply smirking satisfied with the quality of it. He took a sip and moaned in pleasure as the wine spread on his tongue and it richness with it. Even as a lousy host, Azazel still enjoyed fine pleasures and this was a good start to their conversation. Wherever it may lead.

Asmodeus had been pretty content savoring Azazel’s wine when he showed up. The unwilling host kept a stoic posture as he walked slowly toward his unwanted guest. Asmodeus simply looked at him while taking another big gulp from the warm wine.

“Good stuff you have here, Brother,” Asmodeus’ deep, sharp voice resounded in the room. Azazel nodded, wary as to why the other was there.

“To what do I owe the honor, Asmodeus? It’s been a while since you were here last,” Azazel said in a flat, unbothered voice, moving around, circling Asmodeus and failing at understanding why he was there. The King of Edom would not leave his realm over a trivial matter. He was there for a reason although it was unfathomable to him.

Asmodeus took the last of the wine in a big gulp. He hissed, showing his pointed, sharp teeth, his pale tongue showing them and then out as he licked his lips.

“Why so jumpy, Azazel?” Asmodeus moved in his chair, coming forward for the krater to pour himself some more wine; “it’s like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“I wasn’t expecting you, Brother,” Azazel spat the words annoyed. His grave voice didn’t show anything but his posture told Asmodeus he wasn’t welcome there. Why, he wondered. There was no bad blood between them. None that he knew of, anyway.

Asmodeus drank some more wine, watching the other carefully. If he didn’t know him better he would’ve said Azazel was nervous.

“Nothing much,” Asmodeus claimed and stood up. He drank the rest of the wine quickly and closed his eyes, feeling it run through his body; “I’m just wondering what your problem with Magnus Bane is,” he finished in a casual tone as he left the goblet by the kraters on the table.

Asmodeus noticed as Azazel stiffened, suddenly losing whatever composure he’d had at first. He also noticed how his eyes went from his seemingly human ones to a cold blue, his face turning paler by the second. There wasn’t annoyance in his stance anymore. He was angry and the reaction picked Asmodeus’ interest.

He looked around and saw the place morph at Azazel’s will, he was sure. From the old pale-hued Greek style he was so fond of to a darker shade. He noticed how the sands outside became whirlpools here and there as if they were responding to their masters. Azazel has never been known for his calm temper and Asmodeus has been counting on it.

“Are you here to intercede for your son?” this time, it was Azazel who’d almost gained a reaction from Asmodeus. The Prince was able to contain the flinch that would’ve given him away. He was curious as to why Azazel had said ‘your son’ with such spite.

“Intercede? Should I? Last I checked he hated my guts and we’re no longer on speaking terms,” Asmodeus responded. He leaned enough towards to table to serve himself some more wine and brought the goblet with him toward the wide window; “my children have a reason to exist, _me_ , Azazel; I don’t meddle in their affairs and let them be full of those emotions I so enjoy taking from them. Magnus has had a few years to do so, and I’m thinking about collecting, that’s all.” Asmodeus brought the goblet to his lips and drank from it without hesitation. “I’m just curious. He’s been summoning so many demons lately and I’m simply wondering why,” he finished, leaning against the window frame, his posture revealing nothing but his usual self.

Azazel looked at him and walked toward the table himself, Asmodeus now noticed by looking sideways. He observed him pouring some wine to himself and drinking slowly, sitting down in one of the couches. He saw him ponder and scheme, though for a meddler, Asmodeus knew Azazel was losing his edge. He seemed unfocused though he still exuded confidence. He waited. He let him be. He would start talking soon enough. Asmodeus took another gulp of his wine and closed his eyes again, a soft moan escaping his lips as he savored it. If nothing else had helped him, this would make Azazel’s tongue get loose.

“He’s been summoning demons, huh? I see,” Azazel said to his unlikely guest that night, “too bad he won’t be able to find an answer to what he’s looking for.”

“So, you _do_ know what he’s after,” Asmodeus chimed in confidently, still not looking at him.

“He might be after something his precious boyfriend lost,” Azazel said. This time, Asmodeus turned to look at him for a second just to see a wicked smile forming on Azazel’s lips. Asmodeus saw him feel victorious and when he turned back to look out the window, the sand was presenting him a different image. One of a young Shadowhunter falling in love with his son. And even when it was sand, the faces and expressions and the whole memory were so vivid, that Asmodeus couldn’t help but see Magnus’ mother reflected in him. An unlikely mirror of each other but his thoughts brought him to Indonesia about eight centuries ago. Whatever little Azazel was showing him made him understand Magnus and his actions and for a split second, he felt sympathetic towards his son. Long enough to feel sorry for Azazel too.

“Then I guess his quest is fair,” Asmodeus sentenced and walked toward Azazel, emptying his cup and leaving it on the table by the wine.

“Fair?” You trickster! You..!” Azazel rose from his seat but there wasn’t much he could do against Asmodeus who wasn’t just another prince of Hell but a King of his own dimension. He’d fought his own Jonathan Shadowhunter and his prideful Nephilim and had vanquished them himself. In his realm, he was Master. In Hell, only Lucifer was above him. And he let go of his demonic energy allowing it to slither around Azazel and bring him to his knees from its pressure. He saw him fight it with no results. Prince and all, Azazel wasn’t a match to him.

“I will not stand between you and my son, Brother,” Azazel groaned, roaring insults and curses at him, suddenly startled by Asmodeus’ next words, “Magnus will kill you and I’m afraid there will be nothing I can do if not getting killed myself and well, you know me, we can’t let that happen,” he finished.

Asmodeus evaporated this time, turning into a cloud of dust and leaving Azazel panting and trying to regain some composure. What he didn’t tell Azazel was that his pride for Magnus had spiked high. What his mother had failed to see, Magnus had embraced. Where she had felt disgusted with herself and her child to the point she had taken her own life, Magnus was making it his. He was owning his magic and was powerful beyond any other warlock before him, even when he still tried to downplay himself before others.

Asmodeus grinned as he became himself again in his mansion in Edom. He thought of Magnus’ mother and how she had cursed his name, the one she had known him by that is, and how delicious it had been to take her sadness and pain as she had died. Her last words had been of love towards a son she had no idea how to deal with for he was already powerful enough to scare those around him at his age. And that combination, her hatred towards the man she had once loved and the love she professed towards the son she had always wanted had fueled Edom for years. Not to mention his own sorrow, for he had loved her.

And he had seen that same love burning in Magnus’ eyes when he’d summoned him and hurt him. He knew Magnus would destroy Hell itself to recover his beloved and that fire, the one his mother had lacked, made the whole ordeal worth watching.

 


	4. Home of Light

Jace had been watching Magnus since the moment Asmodeus left. After cleaning up his terrace and fixing the door, the warlock had taken a couple of hours of sleep, lulled by the heavy rain. There hadn’t been any more lighting or thunder and once again, Jace marveled at what magic could do. He’d been playing Asmodeus’ words in his head, had remembered his face and how it had contorted with pain and how, for just one instant, Asmodeus had feared.

If a Greater Demon like him had felt fear by what Magnus had done, then, he was the best chance they had at helping Alec.

He knew Magnus’ loft well, after all, he’d spent a few weeks living there with him and although Magnus loved changing its layout and playing around with the place—even changing his spare room into his own magical laboratory, the Angel knew why—he knew how much Magnus also loved to keep his essentials in place. That was why venturing into his kitchen was like going back to a familiar old place. He looked for something to eat and started preparing a salami and cheese sandwich on the kitchen island, waiting. Listening to the damn rain as it fell.

Magnus walked in a few minutes later, his appearance was a mess, they knew it, but neither minded it or mentioned it. Jace saw him eyeing his sandwich and his lips parted in a mocked smile, must certainly over something witty he thought he could say, but closed them in silence as soon as Manus grabbed it from his hands without asking, taking a big bite off it. The warlock sat on the other side of the island and sighed as he ate.

“I’m ready to go, Jace, there’s a binder with instructions in the dresser in my room under the clothes. Catarina will know what to do. You can give it to her but only she can open it, you’ll make sure she gets it, won’t you?” his voice was calm and he continued chewing on his impromptu meal.

Jace nodded, afraid of asking anything. He’d known of Magnus’ arrangements since the other night and still, it wasn’t easy to accept that he might not return.

“You have to make it back, Magnus,” Jace said, earning a questioning look from the other, “you know you have to, Alec won’t be able to go on without you, we…” Jace couldn’t continue. It was as if anything he added would get Magnus more worried and the whole situation was already troublesome as it was.

His words took Magnus by surprise, he could tell, and saying them didn’t make it any easier for either one, but he had to. Magnus needed to return, Alec loved him, once they managed to restore his memories things were going to go back to normal. Izzy, Simon, Clary, himself, they all cared for Magnus and losing him would be a terrible loss for all of them.

“I’ve lived this long Jace, and under the circumstances, there’s no power that would make me not to come back,” Magnus said in a flat voice, his mouth still half full and devoided of the usual sarcasm it carried and patted his shoulder. Whatever he was feeling, Magnus had it completely bottled up and Jace could understand it. None of them could understand what Magnus had gone through, even when he was sure he hadn’t had a one-on-one like they had a few days before. Although Jace would’ve loved trying to get him to reconsider—and it wasn’t as if he hadn’t tried—Magnus wouldn’t listen. They had gone through each possible scenario they could think of. They had imagined every possible outcome, and at the end of the day, they had realized going to Edom was the only way to make anything work. Even if Magnus couldn’t find the culprit, they had to try one last thing. Magnus had promised that he would anything to return. He only needed enough magic to make it back; he could recover once he was back. Jace had promised to wait for him, to help him regain his energy and protect him in case he needed him. Not that he had been of any help when facing Asmodeus Although Magnus had been grateful to him nonetheless and hadn’t mentioned anything about what had transpired between him and his father. They had simply analyzed as best as they could and had made a decision. Jace saw him finish his sandwich then and walk out of the kitchen, toward his room as silent as he’d been when he first walked into the kitchen.  Jace saw him finish his sandwich and walk out of the kitchen, toward his room. He decided not to follow him and wasn’t surprised a few minutes later when Magnus walked out looking his best. If he was going down, he might as well do it in style. He was wearing tight pants, as usual, a shirt that was buttoned from his neck down, his neck covered and a maroon vest, which contrasted with the gray shirt. He’d put on his usual rings and ear cuff but there was one thing, in particular, Jace noticed on the lapel of his coat. An arrowhead. To others, that could’ve looked like he was a sap, but to him, it meant he was taking something of Alec and Jace’s chest filled with pride. He’d known Alec was safe with Magnus the second they had that infamous talk in the terrace right before Max’s run ceremony, but the last few weeks had truly shown Magnus’ commitment to his parabatai. The Shadowhunter saw him check his hair on a mirror and then turn to look at him.

“Don’t forget to clean up once you’re done,” Magnus said suddenly, making Jace smile widely. “I’m ready,” he finished before disappearing through the apothecary’s door. Jace simply nodded and remained where he was. They had talked about this, no awkward goodbyes or emotional talks, they’d done all that already and Jace had promised. There was a lump heavier on his throat as the minutes passed. He heard the crackle of magic and a soft blast that resounded in the walls of the loft but he didn’t move his eyes locked on his hands before him.

Jace waited for a long time. He’d left the rest of his food aside, focused on any changes, on a sound that didn’t belong there, anything, but there was nothing but the rain, a much softer hum outside in the world, and it was almost dawn.

Suddenly, he heard a click and a door opening. He straightened and walked out of the kitchen, his heart speeding and his words failing him. He went towards the door Magnus had gone through but turned around when someone else walked into the living room.

“Alec?” he called his brother who was soaked wet, his clothes leaving a puddle of water where he was standing, “what are you doing here?”

 

*      *     *

 

Azazel didn’t realize how long he’d been lying on the floor. He must have passed out because of exhaustion. He’d forgotten the kind of asshole Asmodeus had always been. He tried standing up and felt dizzy, his body retching in pain. The Prince spilled his guts on the floor and fell back. How he hated Asmodeus.

And Magnus.

His hatred towards the warlock grew exponentially the more time passed. Not only had the infamous prodigy son tried to be above him by trying to impose his will on his but now he’d run to his father crying for daddy’s help.

Azazel managed to stand up and stumble into his own room, his bed receiving him as he fell on it. This is why he hated using his own body. It was so much easier when he used any he liked and just discarded it when it wasn’t of use anymore.

He focused his magic on healing. He knew he was going to need some more rest, as Asmodeus’ own magic wasn’t to be taken lightly. And fuck if it didn’t hurt.

He called upon his demonic servants to prepare him a warm bath and remake his bed. He wanted silk bed sheets and lots of wine to think. The Lightwood Shadowhunter must be beaten by now, he mused. If everything had gone according to plan—and it most certainly should have—then he and Magnus must have already broken up and at least the annoying Shadowhunter must be on his way to madness. Azazel scoffed. Humans and their emotions were so fickle. Their love never lasted and yet their hatred could go on for many millennia. Fortunately for him, he thought, the child of Jonathan Shadowhunter would be driven into a pit so dark and deep there wouldn’t be a soul who dared take pity on him.

Magnus Bane well, he was a different story.

In spite of his human half, he was still very much Asmodeus’ son. And having toyed with him and Valentine had been so much fun. Too bad they managed to send him back home before he could play a bit longer. He moved in his bed restless. The Cup had been at his grasp. If only Valentine had truly been the grand schemer they all took him from, he, Azazel, would’ve succeeded. He had to give it to him, though; the damn Shadowhunter had been so out of his time that he’d managed to use a warlock’s magic in record time and with whatever little instructions Dorothea had given him.

He hated that world so much; he wanted it to see it burn.

Magnus Bane. Just thinking about the name made his skin crawl. Asmodeus had called his quest fair. Fair? What was fair about it? A son should never lift his hand against his father...or any ancestor for that matter. Magnus had dared call him and there was the Morgenstern girl ready to harm him and…had he not lifted his hand against his own Father in Heaven the second there was a chance their insubordination would have succeeded? Azazel’s grabbed the silky bed sheet and made a mess out of it, shredding it pieces. There had never been anyone above God and they had tried to overturn Him. Their quest had been fair. Lucifer, Asmodeus, all the others had been right. He, Azazel, had been right!

He got out of bed and lifted it above his head, making it crash against a wall. His desert-like home crackling with fire outside. He roared a cursed.

Magnus Bane did not and would never have a fair quest against him. It was his, Azazel’s, right to destroy him. That was why he needed to move on. Bane’s earth needed to suffer. He could teach them how to take the art of war a bit further and he could give them a new and better type of weapon. He could wait and see until every generation disappeared. If Asmodeus had managed to defeat his own Shadowhunters in Edom, why wouldn’t he do the same on Earth?

Magnus must be desperate, he thought. He’d seen the disgusting, sickening look in Lightwood when he thought Magnus was in danger and he knew he needed to something about them once and for all.

Azazel brought his hand over his sternum, touching where Alec had hit him with his arrow. He hadn’t destroyed this exact body, but he could still relive the sensation of the Shadowhunter’s arrow piercing through him. He hated the fact that in spite of it not having been hurt in his actual body, he could still feel it.

Back to business, he said to himself. Magnus Bane needed to be accountable for his actions. He’d already taken the Shadowhunter away from him and was sure that must’ve destroyed him. All he had to do now was give him the final blow. He was going to strip him of his magic so that he never dared summon another demon again. They weren’t at the service of others. They, the Greater demons were not bound to do any warlock’s will. And the Princes of Hell must certainly didn’t have to be bound to appear whenever a warlock decided to call upon them. Once Magnus lost his magic, he was going to bring him to Asmodeus on a silver platter so that Edom would swallow him whole. Who knew for how long Asmodeus could torture his son. At the end of the day, that cunning bastard, brother of his, loved his Realm more than he could ever love the children he so eagerly devoured and he was going to show him how unworthy was that so-called-quest of Magnus’. For he was going to have the warlock writhing in pain and begging on his knees before him and he was going to enjoy it.

 

*      *     *

 

"Jace? What are you doing here?” Alec asked again when Jace didn't answer but was just staring at him, equally shocked, perhaps. It wasn't as if Jace was giving anything away and he could feel how something close to fear started brewing in Alec.

"I could ask you the same thing, you know? But I'm still hungry and I left my sandwich in the kitchen. Would you like one?” he offered, making sure he avoided the answer again. He wasn't sure how to tackle this conversation, so he'd rather avoid it for as long as he could.

“Jace, what are you doing here?” Alec asked for the third time.

“Are you hungry?” Jace answered him, still avoiding him.

“Where is…”

“Cheese sandwich? Perhaps cheddar? You like that one, right?” Jace lifted his hand interrupting him. He needed to stall him a bit longer although he didn’t know how long he could. It wasn’t as if Magnus was about to come back when he’d just left. Why was Alec there anyway? He turned away and started toward the kitchen, watching Alec from the corner of his eye.

Alec scoffed at his suggestion for food and turned away, looking out the balcony. He'd started to count but was losing his patience and it was evident. The fear Jace had felt through the bond a minute ago was quickly becoming panic and it made him shiver. He noticed how Alec fished his phone out of his pocket and didn’t even have to look for the number he needed.

“Catarina! You need to get here! Now!” Alec screamed on the phone as soon as the woman answered on the other side of the line. Jace went back and sat on a chair in the living room still watching Alec, tapping his fingers on the armrest. This side of Alec was intriguing, he mused. He hadn’t seen him so emotional regarding Magnus since before his fall. That was progress he thought and smirked as he saw Alec moving all over the living room, still yelling on the phone.

That was something else that had changed. Alec and Catarina, bffs apparently. He didn’t question any of it though because if he was honest with himself, it had been her who had brought Alec back to them little by little. It wasn’t only how she had helped at the hospital. It was also how she’d spent hours with him, taking it slowly as she explained it all. The warlock had been the only one Alec had accepted without questioning and when she’d brought the little girl, Madzie, Alec had started opening to all of them. They had given Alec back to them all, had been patient, had been loving, he’d felt Alec through their bond all that time. His doubts, fears, and the uncertainty his situation had brought him. He’d seen him in the same space looking for answers he was too afraid to actually find. He’d felt him lost every time Magnus showed up or was brought up in a conversation. There had been times when Jace had to look for solace somewhere else, hiding even from Clary, for Alec’s emotions where overwhelming even through their bond and he didn’t know how to help him or how he could endure it. That had been where Catarina had come in. She’d put the pieces of his mind back in place and he’d followed her, learning through her all over again. Jace was beyond thankful to her and hadn’t been surprised in the least when Alec had taken her phone out and had called her. Better her dealing with Alec right then than him. Jace couldn’t think of anything but Magnus and his eyes would stray to the door of the warlock’s apothecary whenever Alec wasn’t giving him a murderous look.

Alec suddenly turned toward him and Jace flinched. He was pointing at him, his index accusatory, but Alec went back to the phone still talking to Catarina. Jace felt sad immediately. He knew what he needed to do, he had to explain everything to Alec even if he was going to break his promise to Magnus right then, but he was hoping the warlock would understand. Granted, he would much rather have waited a bit longer but seeing Alec’s distress and feeling his emotions all over the place wasn’t really helping either one of them.

The Shadowhunter stood up and went to Alec. He put his hand in his brother’s shoulder and took the phone from him as Alec gave him an angry stare, “Catarina? Hi, it’s Jace. Are you busy?” He asked and hummed and nodded as she spoke on the other side of the line; “do you think you can stop by Magnus’ loft when you finish your shift? I’ve got something for you.”

Alec’s brow rose and he rushed toward Jace waiting for him to hang up.

“What is going on?” He demanded, but Jace simply shook his head, “where’s Magnus?” Jace ignored his question and left him standing where he was.

“Go to your room and get changed, you’re soaked wet and can get sick. I’ll be here,” Jace commanded and Alec crossed his arms over his chest and Jace gave him an exasperated look,“if you get sick Magnus will get mad at me and I’d rather not get on his bad side right now, you know? Your room? Remember where it is?” Alec nodded even though Jace was pointing at it with his hand, “get in there and take a hot bath and change into clean clothes. We’ll see what to do with those wet clothes later,” Jace moved his hands toward him and waited until he saw him disappear and close the door behind him.

The blond man gave Alec his phone back and went to the kitchen. He threw away the food leftovers and did the dishes, his train of thought all over the place. He made sure to dry everything off and put it back in place. He then cleaned the counter and the kitchen island. He didn’t mind doing that, he needed to move and not feel like time was eating him up. Put things into perspective, he told himself, Catarina would be there in a couple of hours, Alec was already there, asking questions, he had his own share of things to be accounted for and Magnus was gone, with the uncertainty of his return looming over the place.

He knew Alec was furious. He could see it, but why, he wondered. Up to then, Alec had never mentioned anything related to Magnus to anyone, at least not to him. And he kept yelling on the phone ‘he isn’t here!’ and why did he think Catarina would know? Magnus had made sure Catarina was off the hook. He didn’t want her to worry and their fights over his decisions had kept them away from each other for the past few days. It wasn’t as if Alec had been very forthcoming about whatever was on his mind. Jace knew of his confusion because of the bond between them, not because Alec would make the effort of telling him. However, he felt as if Alec had started to figure his own things out if his presence in the loft was an indication of it.

“Go to our room and get changed, you’re soaked wet and can get sick. I’ll be here,” Jace commanded and Alec crossed his arms over his chest and Jace gave him an exasperated look, “if you get sick Magnus will get mad at me and I’d rather not get on his bad side right now, you know? Your room? Remember where it is?” Alec nodded even though Jace was showing him with his hand, “get in there and take a hot bath and change into clean clothes. We’ll see what to do with that later,” Jace moved his hands toward him and waited until he saw him disappear and close the door behind him.

He could feel Alec’s turmoil. He could almost touch his distress and in spite of how hard it was, he sort of smiled. That meant that Alec was perhaps remembering Magnus, and if it was so, what were they going to do about the warlock’s field trip to Edom? Jace walked towards Magnus’ apothecary door, sighed and sat back down, waiting for either Alec or Catarina to show up.

Jace wouldn’t dare enter Magnus’ room. Not that he hadn’t been there before, but right now, when the last bit of hope laid behind those doors, Jace felt as if he were trespassing. That had been Magnus and Alec’s room for a while now. Their own private Sanctuary and he didn’t have a place there. Jace didn’t have the words to describe what it meant to him see Alec happy with Magnus. He’d been the proudest of his brother when he’d made his statement by kissing Magnus in front of everybody at his wedding with Lydia. Since then, Alec had been…different. He was more open, more willing to express himself. Alec had been freer ever since he found out there was someone out there who could love him for him and not for what he represented. He wasn’t a son, or a brother, or a leader, with Magnus, he was just Alec.

He heard Alec behind doors getting ready, opening and closing drawers until he walked out wearing jeans and a plain t-shirt, barefoot, his hair messy, and a dark brown envelope in his hands.

“What’s this?” Alec asked and Jace flinched, moving uncomfortably in his chair. He knew exactly what the envelope was and was hoping for that conversation to never happen or at least, to put it off a little longer. Jace swallowed hard and stood up, ready to talk to his brother about what he and Magnus had been doing when a portal opened and Catarina stepped through. She’d just come from the hospital, he thought, as she was still wearing her uniform and her hair was braided.

“What’s going on here?” she asked as soon as he saw them moving closer to Alec to check on him. Jace was grateful for the two seconds her gesture towards Alec gave him to collect his thoughts, “Where’s Magnus?” she asked and he inhaled as deep as he could.

“We need to talk,” he said in an ominous voice, pointing at them to sit down. Jace’s morning couldn’t get any better.

 

 

*      *     *

 

 

When he had first had a look at Edom, he had already been a grown warlock looking for answers. Someone, a long time ago, had told him who his father was after seeing his cat eyes and he’d fallen for curiosity and had summoned him just to confirm his blood. Asmodeus had been that and so much more and so had been Edom, a place whose sight right before him never got old.

A perfect opposite to Idris. Decadent, ancient, demonic. As he walked through its streets and squares he saw the remnants of the myth that had lived within its premises and felt in his bones a call that was as familiar to him as his own thoughts.

Edom was welcoming him, acknowledging and recognizing him as one of his own and he wondered, not for the first time, how strong would his father’s hold on him be. He was expecting him to show up and banishing from there as retaliation over his actions, but the place was curious about him, waiting for an answer he wasn’t sure he’d be able to give. There was silence everywhere, he noticed. Only the crackle of fire here and there gave away where he truly was.

Magnus Bane, son of Asmodeus, heir of Edom, was finally home.

He shrugged and shook the feeling. The last thing he needed was another confrontation. When he’d summoned his father he’d had the advantage. Asmodeus had responded but hadn’t been aware of the spell he’d used until it was too late for him to be able to repel it. Now, the exact opposite applied. Magnus was at his father’s territory and he was just the type of prey the King of Edom needed to satiate his revenge and tip the scales on his favor. A luxury, he couldn’t afford at the moment.

Edom was receiving him, and Magnus wondered why as he took a step forward and further into it. Its dark-orange-like sky presented a city of old he’d always dreaded even if, at the moment, he could feel its energy coming at him in waves of care and need. It was as if the place were talking to him. Asking him to stay a little longer, get to know it, perhaps love it. Magnus, however, shrugged the feeling. The last thing he needed was Edom.

His goal, he mumbled, was to find the one who took Alec’s memories. If he was in Edom it was simply because it was the energy he’d felt staying behind as it had touched Alec. However, after Asmodeus assurance of not being involved, he had his doubts. If it hadn’t been Asmodeus, then who? Clary had already vanquished the Valac demon; back when he’d first re-encountered her and met the others. How had his life changed ever since. Now, he was in a relationship with Alec, the Shadowhunter who’d killed a Circle member just to save him. How adorable he had been when he’d stuttered introducing himself to him. The memory was still too fresh in his mind. That night, he’d learned how Alec felt about Jace, even if it was just an illusion created by the closeness of growing up together. He’d learned to know and appreciate that parabatai bond. He hadn’t lied to Jace though. What he and Alec shared was beyond that. It could be because they were so different or because fate had had it that they were meant to be together. Alec had gone against his family, his entire way of life just for him, to be able to be by his side. Alec had said he would not to go anywhere. It had been his promise. And he, Magnus, he’d turned the Earth upside down just to help a bunch of Shadowhunters and with them, young Simon and his refreshing innocence, who were now engraved so deep in his heart that the thought of losing just one of them would bring him to his knees. Alec had been like a beacon and he’d felt so attracted to him that he hadn’t been able to keep away from him. He called him to him without words, they’d been learning about the other, about compromising, about making it work for their sakes and no others’.

Perhaps one day, when their worlds weren’t so different and things were better, he’d ask Alec to marry him.

Right now, he needed Alec back. And if he couldn’t regain his memories, then he hoped he wouldn’t lose himself in Hell so that he could go back to New York and stop moping around so that he could woo Alec all over again.

He needed that stubborn Shadowhunter in his life. He’d survive heartbreak he knew it. It wouldn’t be the first time, but he just didn’t want to even try to have a life without Alexander in it. Magnus didn’t know how to give up, even when he’d let some people and things in his life pass by and let go. Alec just wasn’t one of them.

Magnus stood still in his place. A barren land of dead trees and earth. There was no green and there were no rivers with flowy waters around. He knew this was Edom all right. Edom was calling for him and he said yes, here I am, show me.

The warlock flicked his fingers and the flames so familiar to him came to life. He knew the deep amber hue in them and when he called upon his magic, it responded in kind, his cat eyes showing up as the slits in them became but a thin line as he started scanning the place. He needed to find a magic signature similar to the one he’d found in Alec’s mind.

Edom seemed to have a different idea, though.

At the touch of his magic, Edom recoiled, Magnus could feel it. He heard cries and shrieks everywhere. Fear was deep in the barren land and he wondered why for the tiniest moment. Magnus turned and send his flames towards the flying demon coming to him.

His hands were covered in his flames, dark amber turning deep orange as he moved. Demons surrounding him, as he took careful steps forward.

_No more pain…leave us…son of Asmodeus…_

_Go away…let us rest…_

Those, Magnus recognized as pleas. He noticed the demons, their eyes full of pain instead of their usual hatred and desire to hurt others. These demons had been deeply hurt but Magnus didn’t have time to ponder what might have happened to them.

A flash of light sent the demons away crying. Another demon, perhaps higher in rank, was before him. His skin was taut and almost stuck to the bone, as if it didn’t have any muscles. Its hair fell long down its back in strands, not covering the head fully. But it was the teeth, which gave him away. They were sharp and pointed, just like its father’s.

“Hello, little brother.”

“Asmodei.”

 

 

*      *     *

 

 

Awkward didn’t begin to describe the scene. Jace was still sitting in a chair in the living room at Magnus’, Alec was standing by the French windows leading to the balcony and Catarina was sitting on the three-seat couch. She was staring at them as Alec bore his eyes on Jace, as if by just staring he could know what was going on. Jace, however, remained quiet, observing them and trying to figure out how to make it all work in any possible way.

“Care to explain what is going on?” she finally asked, making Jace move uncomfortably in his chair. Alec had given her the envelope he’d found and she had it resting on her lap without opening it. “Alec?” the man turned away, avoiding her altogether. “This is ridiculous! Either one of you starts talking or I’m gonna get it out of you and it won’t be any pleasant!” The woman stood up, pointing at them with her finger threatening them. It was a frightening scene for the Shadowhunters who’d never seen a single hair on her head out of place.

She sighed in exasperation and turned towards the envelope. She held it in her hands ready it to open it when Jace stopped her, holding her by the wrist carefully.

“It won’t work,” he said, “it’s magiced,” he let go of her and moved away as she opened her eyes understanding.

“Why would Magnus leave something like this for me?” she asked. Jace looked down at the floor, afraid of the answer he had to give. Magnus had told him Catarina would probably know what was going on the second she saw the envelope an he was now sure she did but still wanted to hear it from him. The warlock turned her whole body towards him and took a step forward, forcing him to take one backward. Jace could feel Alec watching them from his place, his brow raised in curiosity. He did nothing to help Jace. “Jace…why did Magnus leave this for me?” she asked again

“Bec...because he’s…he’s gone,” he muttered as he slumped back in the chair. “He’s gone,” he repeated and let his head hung, cradling it with his arms.

“He.did.not!” Catarina said aloud, “you tell me he didn’t do it, Jace!” She walked around, mumbling. “I told him not to go! And you let him?!”

“Catarina...I…”

“Shush!” she said and Jace fell further back in his chair as if he could disappear by just willing it.

“What’s going on? Jace? Cat? Someone?” Alec walked to the center of the living room, facing them. Catarina was crying softly, the hand she was holding the envelope was resting at her hip, her face was buried on the other. “What the Hell is going on? And why won’t you tell me?” Alec stood in front of Catarina then, and took her hand, watching her expressions as if to try to understand what was happening.

“Hell happened, Alec,” she answered once she looked at him and saw the plea in his eyes. “Magnus is in Hell. Literally.”

“What?!” Alec grimaced looking from Catarina and then over her at Jace. “What do you mean Magnus is in Hell? He couldn’t have...he…” he took a step backward, away from her.

“Alec...he…” Jace started but Catarina turned toward him, facing him.

“You! How could you let him?! Magnus had no business going to Edom! He should be here right now! And what is this?” She pushed the envelope forward. Jace lowered his eyes, too ashamed to look at her.

Jace wanted to disappear then. It wasn’t only the accusatory tone in her voice or the fact that she was yelling at him. It was Alec and the disbelief in his eyes and how his parabatai rune was glowing painfully, forcing him to grab his side.

“Those are instructions in case he doesn’t…in case…” Jace found speaking too hard. He could feel Alec and his pain running through him, an avalanche of emotions that was going to fall over him and make him drown. His brother wasn’t looking at him. He was keeping himself in check and Jace knew it. Alec was crossing his arms over his chest, military stance, the perfect soldier waiting for all the facts before killing him. “Magnus went to Edom to retrieve Alec’s memories. That envelope has his will in case he doesn’t make it back,” he said at once, freeing himself from the secrecy.

It was then that he screamed in agony. Jace fell on his knees, his left side shining gold through his dark clothes. Catarina noticed but instead of going to him, she turned to Alec.

“Alec? Look at me,” Jace noticed how she called Alec softly as he was still looking at Jace in anger. Catarina touched his face just barely and made him look at her although he was looking at her the same way.

“You knew about this?” He asked her then in a worried tone of voice and she nodded.

“I knew of his intentions, he never said he would actually do it,” she responded, “he didn’t say he wouldn’t do it either.”

Jace began moving and he lifted his hands in defeat as they turned in unison toward him. The last thing he needed right then was more pain. He sank back in the chair. Catarina’s eyebrow rose as if asking what was going on, but didn’t utter a sound. It was Alec who broke the silence.

“Catarina, you wouldn’t lie to me, would you?” Alec’s voice broke a little as he grabbed her by the arm, trying to get her attention again, “tell me what’s going on, please...I’m tired of being treated like I can’t know what’s going on but you won’t lie to me, right?”

Catarina nodded. She moved towards Magnus’ studio and Jace groaned, making her stop. He shook his head, still in pain; still trying to make sense of what he was feeling for those weren’t his emotions only. He’d never felt so close to Alec and yet, he knew none of it was because of him. Perhaps Alec finally remembered Magnus, he thought again. Perhaps things were going to finally get back in place. He just needed Magnus back to make Alec’s anger and pain go away and with it, the pain that was searing through him right then.

He simply realized Catarina was purposefully ignoring him while Alec was channeling as much pain through their shared rune, and if he wasn’t, damn if his parabatai wasn’t hurting.

“Let’s go to the terrace,” he heard Catarina telling Alec and watched him moved to the side, letting her pass and leaving him alone in the living room.

Jace began breathing steadily again once they were gone. He let himself fall back in the chair, his head resting on the back of it, as he tried to regain his composure.

 

 

 

 

Catarina was still mad at Jace as she walked into the terrace. For all she knew, Jace could writhe in pain a while longer. He didn’t have to help Magnus in his suicidal mission. She noticed Alec closing the doors behind them and inhaled deeply. It was chilly outside, and the sun was breaking through the sky, bright and colorful. She was sure they were both looking at the place with different eyes. Alec looked as if he’d just been there for the first time, a cozy place with comfy chairs perfectly placed, a cat or two sleeping here and there.

To Catarina, the place smelled of magic. Powerful magic.

“Cat…”

“That night when you and your family came to see Magnus, remember when?” Alec nodded as she spoke and Catarina invited him to sit down. She recounted how that night, Magnus had told her about his idea of going to Hell. Magnus had been intent on the fact that his father was behind it all. Catarina told Alec about what Magnus had seen at the City of Bones and he nodded, as he already knew about that. Going to Edom, Magnus had told her, could mean he’d find the direct source of the attack, as Magnus was convinced it hadn’t been exactly random although he hadn’t been able to pinpoint why. “The problem is not that Magnus is in Hell, we’re demons’ children, after all, the problem is his father, Asmodeus.”

Catarina noticed how Alec frowned at her words as she avoided looking him in the eye. Catarina took a deep breath, magic still floating around her and dropped her glamor, allowing Alec to see her blue skin freely.

“Asmodeus is not just any greater demon. He is the King of Edom, he was Lucifer’s lieutenant. He...he hasn’t only had children with humans, he’s had his own demon children, the Asmodei, and they obliterated the Shadowhunters from Edom. And he...Asmodeus is known for devouring the immortality of his children to feed off his realm.”

She’d been holding Alec’s hand as she spoke and he squeezed hers. She was assuming things; for she could sure Alec didn’t know how to react to all the information she was giving him.

“So...that means…” Alec’s voice broke. Catarina could see an array of emotions on his face. He was probably confused, sad. Perhaps his emotions were now driving him towards anger instead of understanding because of the way he was reacting. “And he left?!” he stood up, walking away from her and to the other end of the terrace. Catarina saw him close his eyes and let him be.

 

 

 

 

Alec closed his eyes trying to regain a modicum of control over himself. He hadn’t come to Magnus’ house to find him gone, much less on a journey that would most likely get him killed and all for what? So that he could recover some memories he found were not as important as it was for him to have Magnus there, nearby, so that he could get to know him all over again and maybe, just maybe, so that he could fall in love with him again and this time, this time... “There might not be a this time,” he let out in a voice so low, Catarina couldn’t hear him.

Alec took a look around New York was coming back to life slowly even though the city never really stopped. When he turned to look at Catarina, he saw her enthralled, her hands holding onto the couch for dear life. Her skin was still blue and she hadn’t been able to glamor herself again.

“Catarina... Cat…look at me…” he said as he knelt in front of her, “are you okay? What’s going on?” he touched her hands and when she looked at him, all he could see was fear.

“Asmodeus…” she stuttered as she allowed Alec to cover her hands with his, “he’s been here...his magic...Magnus...Alec…” she sobbed and Alec understood that something else had happened. Something neither he or Catarina knew about but she could still feel it. Remnants of magic, or just a signature. He’d heard about those back in his classes when he was growing up. Catarina knew Magnus; she could recognize him up to some extent.

Alec stood up and helped Catarina get on her feet. He hugged her and walked with her walk back into the loft. Jace was by the kitchen sink having some water when they walked back in and Alec had to hold Catarina in his arms to help her sit down. Alec watched Jace as he gulped down his water in one go and when he turned towards them, their respective parabatai rune was glowing under his shirt and much as Alec was.

“What happened upstairs?! And don’t you dare lie to me!” Alec yelled at him as Jace grimaced in pain once again. “Why can she feel Asmodeus’ magic in the terrace? The fuck happened here, Jace?! And don’t give me any bullshit! Just tell me what happened!”

 

 

 

Jace felt intimidated then. Alec wasn’t one to lose his temper, much less curse so much. He was always composed, the one who analyzed everything in order to make a fair judgment. Perhaps when it came to them, both Alec and Magnus really didn’t think straight and their bond was truly beyond what he and Alec shared as parabatai.

“Jace!” As Alec came closer, Jace dropped the glass and it smashed on the floor. He lifted his hands, forcing Alec to stop moving closer as he was still barefoot.

“Let me get his cleaned here and I’ll tell you everything I know,” he started, but the way Alec looked at him, made him realize his brother wasn’t exactly in a patient or in a forgiving mood. “I promise, Alec. I’ll tell you everything.”

“Give me some water for Cat,” Alec ordered and went back to Catarina as soon as Jace handed it to him.

If Alec was acting like this with his memories gone, then there was hope. Even if it was for the unlikely love story of an eight-hundred-year-old warlock and his mid-twenties Shadowhunter love.

 

*      *     *

 

 

His stance didn’t change. It had been a long time since he’d last since one of the infamous Asmodei and their last encounter had been pleasant either. Rulers of Edom—in a way—they were Magnus’ counterparts before Asmodeus. Where and other warlocks children of Asmodeus were human, the Asmodei were evil in the flesh.

He was sure Asmodeus was a proud father.

The demon snarled at him and stretched his long arms forward, in a sinister, playful way. His eyes showed a different thing though. Were he given a chance, he’d killed Magnus in the spot, but for some reason, he was just teasing, probing to see how and if the warlock would attack him.

Magnus lowered his hands as if showing he had no intention to attack but didn’t look away. He was ready to defend himself and wouldn’t hesitate to fight the demon before him if necessary. There was nothing that could or would keep him in Hell.

 

*      *     *

 

Asmodeus had been lying in bed since he arrived after his visit to Azazel. The wine had gotten to his head all right, but what a wonderful sensation that was. It had been a while since he’d felt such—exhilaration. The prospect of chaos was endearing. The fact that his son had created the kind of animosity necessary to make a Prince of Hell such as Azazel interested enough to want to fight him was reason enough for him to want to witness what would happen next.

That was why the second Magnus called upon his magic and Edom responded, he sat up, his cat eyes shining brightly in anticipation. He smelled the air and scanned the familiar magic. Magnus’ was defensive and the Asmodei’s was not only offensive but also combative.

Asmodeus frowned. He knew the kind of children he had in the Asmodei but even their thirst had been appeased over the years and they surely wouldn’t hurt his son.

He waited. Edom was tired, exhausted after his scrutiny and yet it was also more alive than it had been in centuries. He could feel the lesser demons running away, pleading Magnus for some respite and now they were running away from a battle that would most certainly happen.

He got up and walked to one of the many balconies in his house. To the one that faced his children and waited. Asmodeus asked Edom one more time, in a much nicer way, and his land responded in kind. The wind told him the Asmodei’s intentions. The Earth let him know of Magnus’ will.

A battle was to happen and he became incorporeal to be able to witness it with his own eyes. And may the best among his children be the winner.

 

*      *     *

 

The Asmodei changed its position. It moved forward and his upper body bent to the point that he was on all fours ready to jump at Magnus. He snarled yet again, his snout salivating and his teeth showing. Magnus watched him and waited as he moved his fingers in waves, feeling the air around him.

Magnus was ready when the demon attacked him though. He dodged the first clawed hand trying to reach him and blocked the second. He had to take a couple of steps backward, adjusting to the strength of the blows. The warlock frowned and half closed his eyes as the flames in his hands grew bigger and more orange as he responded to the Asmodei’s attack.

The other was growling now. He was trying to circle Magnus and the warlock noticed, watching his every move. Fighting the other didn’t bring him any joy, but it was about survival and about ensuring victory. The Asmodei contorted as it moved fast against him and it was then that Magnus realized he could see his every move. His cat eyes shone then as he called upon his magic and unleashed it against the Asmodei.

He noticed, for a sliver of a second, how the Asmodei shrunk in fear at his eyes. He knew he looked like his father but he’d never imagined it would instill such fear in someone.

As the Asmodei fell back, being hit by the power is his magic, Magnus panted, feeling a little drained. He was getting more tired as the hours passed. He should’ve waited and got enough rest before going to Edom, he thought. However, if he had, or if he had seen Alec one more time, he knew he wouldn’t have had the guts to leave New York for Edom, even if it was for some time only. The encounter with his father had left him restless. If it hadn’t been Asmodeus who attacked Alec then who? Asmodeus was the only being in Hell with a desire big enough to harm him.

“How dare you use his power against me?” The Asmodei was taunting him into falling into his trap to have the advantage, “you think that if you use his eyes I’ll be afraid? I am Asmodeus' son, too!”

He took a deep breath and channeled his magic to his hands, trying not to listen to the other’s screams. He could hear menacing sounds and growls in the distance and he wondered if there weren’t any more Asmodei waiting to attack him the minute he gave them an inch of advantage. if He was tired of this brother of his and his attempts to defeated him. He was Magnus Bane, son of Asmodeus, in spite of himself. His father had asked him more once to come and rule Edom with him. Edom was also a part of him. It ran through his veins even when he’d learned to avoid the hum and never listen to it, so he asked Edom for its help, he closed his eyes and moved his fingers in a complex pattern that belonged in the past, just like the spell he’d cast to summon Asmodeus and when he opened his eyes again, his cat eyes shone gold and powerful and his hands unleashed a paramount amount of magic so mighty than the Asmodei couldn’t stop it even when he’d started a new attack that never hit Magnus.

The warlock fell on his knees, his head falling in between his arms, his hands supporting him on the ground. He was trying to catch his breath as red streaks colored the flames which were dying out in his hands though he didn’t notice as he had his eyes closed.

He lifted his head without changing his pose and saw the Asmodei writhing in pain a few feet from him. He noticed its limbs twisting as it spoke in Chthonian, making Magnus squint his eyes. The Warlock moved closer to be able to hear him while keeping his distance He knew the words, and those weren’t used to call for Asmodeus.

“I summon thee, Azazel…” it said languidly. There were no more retorts directed at Magnus o

The warlock made sure he avoided the fumes coming out of the dissolving body of the Asmodei.

“Azazel…” the demon groaned as his body gave in and he exhaled for the last time.

“Azazel?” Magnus asked, hurrying toward the demon’s body but it had turned into ashes before he could get anything else out of it.

Magnus fell back, sitting down. He was exhausted and let his arms rest on his knees, his head falling forward and resting on his arms. He took deep breaths as he tried to process the information.

His father had said he didn’t know who had taken Alec’s memories and the spell he’d used wouldn’t have let Asmodeus lie to him. Now he was in Edom and the land, instead of the possible inhospitality he thought he’d find, was actually feeding him off magic. He could feel it and see it slither up his legs and fingertips. Any trace of tiredness was slowly leaving him and he wondered why Edom was acting like that. He heard the rustle of clothing far from him and when he got ready to fight, he saw some demons uncertain as to face him.

 _Son of Asmodeus_ , he heard a whisper in the distance, _you hurt us not...not like the father…_

Magnus dismissed the voices, he didn’t want to hear the pitiful laments and the pain in them. He needed to figure out how Azazel had anything to do with what happened to Alec and why was it that it was Edom’s magic signature in Alec’s mind and not Dudadel’s. There hadn’t been a trace of the hot, desert-like place surrounding Alec.

Magnus stood up and the demons ran away. He didn’t chase them and didn’t try to get an answer from them. They wouldn’t be of any help and he could recognize the fear being mistreated generated by someone and if he were to guess, Asmodeus had done just that to them and in what a way. Edom was a place of sorrow and pain. It was a place fueled by emotions. From sadness to happiness, from prudence to lust. Everything in the rainbow of feelings was food for the creatures who inhabited Edom.

Edom didn’t give without taking, and perhaps what the demons were doing now was feeding off his own tiredness and were giving him back in magic what they would take later on once he was defeated for demons were also very full of themselves and thought no one could defeat them.

Magnus stood up taking in all the magic Edom could provide him with. He growled at the demons who were daring enough to approach him.

 

*      *     *

 

 

Asmodeus, even in his incorporeal form, felt the death of the Asmodei. It threw him off his feet as he was expecting more fight from him. The power and strength they used to have when battling Jonathan Shadowhunter so many years ago was gone. And Magnus...his name said it all. He was incredible when defending himself. It didn’t surprise him that he had won the encounter.

Again, Asmodeus thought of his son and his deeds. In spite of the bad things that had happened between them, Magnus had always had a way of surviving. His mother’s death, his less than ideal upbringing, the lives and deaths of so many friends and a few lovers. Everything that could’ve destroyed the average man and the average warlock, but not him. He’d learned how to live with grief, how to thrive in spite it all.

And here he was, in Edom, looking for the lost memories of someone he loved. Deeply.

Asmodeus continued floating around his realm, following Magnus as he found his way through the destroyed cobblestone streets of Edom. Did Magnus see the beauty of his realm? He didn’t need an answer. Magnus would never be able to appreciate what the land had to offer him although, he could feeling him drawing power from it. Who would’ve thought that Edom was going to accept him as its own and that Magnus would take the offering? He saw him walk straighter with every step he took and realized his beloved son was channeling Edom’s magic into his own, healing his sore bones, giving a respite to his exhausted mind.

If he’d had his body right then, Asmodeus would’ve smirked.

Magnus belonged in Edom as much as Edom belonged to Magnus.

That was why when Asmodeus saw Magnus stand still in front of the statue of Jonathan Shadowhunter wearing his skeptron, he moved closer, curious as to what he would do. That statue was a testament of a brave albeit arrogant man he’d once known and fought. He and his Asmodei had made sure every Shadowhunter in Edom knew where power laid. Too bad for him, his kin, and the downworlders in Edom for they had been too weak to face his Asmodei and himself.

What incredible battles those had been.

It had been the boredom after they were over that had driven him to cross the veils imposed by his former brothers and go to Magnus’ Earth. What a sight that had been. Still was.

Magnus walking around made him stop his reveries. He’d drawn a pentagram on the floor and it took Asmodeus by surprise. What would his warlock son be doing?

“By the power of the pentagram, I summon thee, Azazel!” He heard him say. One, two, three times.

The power in Magnus’ voice made Asmodeus shiver as it brought back memories of just the night before when he’d been summoned himself. Magnus was summoning Azazel on his own, either he was too confident over their own encounter or Magnus was a fool. It was then that he noticed. Edom was not only giving Magnus magic, it was also giving him power and the warlock was drawing from it, feeding himself as if it were a mother’s and he a hungry baby, needy yet perfectly calm knowing he was in loving arms.

Love, quite the definition for Magnus, Asmodeus thought.

If he’d ever known love, it had been by Magnus’ mother’s side. When she’d believed him to be her husband, she’d cared for him with such passion and honesty that he’d felt he loved her as well. When Magnus came, their happy little family had been completed. But his urges, the ones that made him a Prince of Hell, were bigger than anything else and so, one day, he’d told her the truth and a while later she’d killed herself after he’d showed her his cat eyes. After she’d discovered Magnus’. It had been then that he’d learned how fleeting and unreal love could be. If his own Heavenly Father and brothers had turned against them and slaughtered them for having a different opinion, what had he expected of a mortal woman who knew nothing?

Love was doomed and so was Magnus now that he’d called Azazel.

What a turn of events, he mused and in silence, he waited.

 

*      *     *

 

 

Azazel felt the pull. He could feel how his body responded to it, a powerful voice calling for him and he hated every second of it. When will these stupid warlocks learn that they, the Princes of Hell were not to be toyed with. His anger rose as his body was thrown into the void and onto a badly drawn pentagram.

They wouldn’t even bother and draw a decent one.

The place he was at wasn’t Earth, though. He knew this place although he never really dare walk on it. He scowled as he turned to see his summoner.

“My, but if it isn’t Magnus Bane. Have you decided to take your rightful place by papa dearest then?” Azazel spat the words at him, his tongue rolling and his voice grave and down an octave. He saw the warlock, really saw him. The way he was standing, the power he exuded but he didn’t flinch. There was nothing to worry about and much to gain. Besides, if Magnus died in Hell, well, he thought, he could chain his soul in the deepest pit and he could forget about it for eternity. “What do you want?” He said, making sure every sound came out as threatening as he felt.

“Alec Lightwood’s memories, where are they?” Magnus had asked of him. If he had been any regular downworlder asking him, Azazel would’ve waved his hand and dismiss him, but this was Asmodeus’ Magnus and the prickle of his brother’s magic still lingered on his skin. And he felt his anger escalating. Azazel could move outside the pentagram. It didn’t matter that he’d been summoned, even if he wasn’t in Dudadel, he was still in Hell and he was still one of its Princes; besides, Magnus was alone and didn’t have a circle to keep him on a leash.

He took a step forward and Magnus changed his posture. Azazel could see how he moved so swiftly he had to pay attention to actually see him. He also noticed how Manus was devoided of fear as if he’d been expecting this confrontation. What a sight, he thought. He’d rather liked this man over the one Valentine had unwillingly impersonated.

As he ventured forward, he started taunting Magnus, seeing if he could harm him with just his words. If he did, then they wouldn’t be there much longer. He could and most certainly would destroy whatever was left of one Magnus Bane, prodigy son extraordinaire and warlock he desired to obliterate. He’ll deal with Asmodeus later. He still had a bone to pick with him and the need to get even was growing by the second.

Magnus he noted, didn’t move. If anything, he was standing taller and steadier. He’d seen the stance before, some called it rooting. The warlock’s legs were separated enough to help him distribute his weight better. He’d seen it many times before back in the days when men would fight with their bare hands instead than with weapons. His hands were on his side, open as if waiting to grab something fully. He wondered if and when he’d closed them into fists. Would he fight him or just stay there waiting to be attacked?

“If you’re not careful, you might lose yourself here, little warlock,” Azazel spat the words as he took another step forward. He was mad. How dare that man call upon him to ask for what was not his? How dare he call him? He was still in his own body, he hadn’t had any time to recover from Asmodeus’ attack. He didn’t want to face Magnus, not like this. He wanted him deep into madness, with no way to return from the pain of losing who he was. He wanted him stripped of his magic, and he wanted to do it himself, slowly and painfully, he wanted to make sure he drove Magnus into insanity and he wanted him to know it had been him, Azazel, who’d done it.

He just needed to play a charade. Play dumb of any accusations and make his move when the other least expected it.

“Alec’s memories, I want them back,” Magnus stated, interrupting Azazel’s train of thought. The Prince felt the heat coming up his neck, up to his face and ears. This warlock was too annoying. He needed to teach him a lesson. One he would never forget. One that would make his life a literal Hell. Having attacked the Shadowhunter had proven a good move. The warlock’s world had been shaken and he could see it in the eagerness with which Magnus had demanded his lover’s memories.

As if he was going to tell him anything.

Azazel took one more step but Magnus didn’t budge, which startled the Prince. This wasn’t going to be as easy as he’d thought at first and in response, he snarled, trying to threaten Magnus.

The warlock didn’t move.

 

*      *     *

 

 

Catarina went to her apartment to check on Madzie. She was happy that she could have these warlocks nannies for her, for Madzie had way too much energy for a mundane one. After a full night at work, and having spent the whole morning with Alec and Jace, she was exhausted. She managed to get some sleep while Madzie went to daycare and it gave her a few hours to rest. She’d picked her up an afternoon and they’d spent the rest of the day together. Madzie had become her lifeline and she had never truly told Magnus how her life had changed once “Sweetpea” came into her life and how grateful she was to him every day for having given her the chance of being a mother. A real one, for the bond they shared, was honest and true and beautiful and even at her young age, Madzie could see it and understand it.

She’d even stopped talking about her nana. Not that she had forgotten about her, Iris Rouse was just a sweet memory of hers, it was more a matter of Madzie choosing to stay with Catarina something that made her smile as she opened the door and taking the food from the delivery boy. She paid for the takeout and smelled the warm food as she brought it to the living room.

“Madzie, I’m going now!” she called for her little girl and she came out of her room with her nanny in tow.

“Why can’t I come with you?” the girl asked, her voice was sad and the way she tilted her head to the side showed Catarina how affected she was.

“Because there’s a lot of magic involved and I’d rather have you away from it, Irene can look after you and keep you safe if needed,” Catarina explained and Madzie nodded, Irene touched ahead and the girl leaned toward her leg before giving Catarina a tight hug.

“Give it to Alec, he’ll need it,” the little one said and Catarina nodded in approval. She grabbed her coat and the food and opened a portal to Magnus’.

“Thank you for staying here until I can make it back,” she told Irene, a good old friend of hers, the woman nodded and gave Catarina a hug.

“Tell Magnus he owes me then, a couple of VIP tickets to Hamilton would do,” the woman answered and they both laughed, kissing each other on the cheek before Catarina went through and off to wait for Magnus’ return.

 

*      *     *

 

Azazel was a few inches away from him and Magnus could smell his breath reeking of alcohol, yet Magnus didn’t flinch. This was the endgame. The moment when he would show Azazel he wasn’t playing nor was he bluffing.

He was in Hell to reclaim what Alec had lost, because he, Magnus,  needed it. He wanted Alec to remember him so that he would stop running away from him so that he could make him feel loved and safe and to be able to feel the same way by Alec’s side. It was corny and it was what bad romance stories were made of, but it was what he needed. The familiarity of being around his beloved and normalcy of the life they had gradually built for themselves outside of the Clave’s and the Shadow World’s business. He was selfish. However, this one time, he wasn’t going to talk himself down or out of it. Alec, as he’d told Maryse already, had risked everything just to be able to be himself by his side. He’d been there through his ups and downs with him and he, Magnus, had promised to himself he wasn’t going to fail Alec. Again, even if it was for selfish reasons.

Magnus inhaled deeply and moved his fingers in circles. If Edom was so eager to serve him, then, he was going to accept it. He’ll deal with the catch hovering over its offer later. He could feel Edom’s demonic energy feeding off him and he thought of his father. This energy felt just like Asmodeus’. Like the one he used to use on him or others to make them bend to his will.

This time, he wasn’t going to do so. He had a goal, and now he had the means and nothing was going to stop him.

“I swear by Lucifer that you are stubborn, Magnus Bane, like father like son, I guess,” he heard Azazel say and frown, focusing on his next step instead of falling for the bait.

“And I swear by the Morning Start that I will get what I want and I’ll go back to my life and if I have to kill you to do so, so be it,” Magnus stated. He noticed Azazel hesitation just barely and prepared himself for what was to come, for Azazel wasn’t going to be able to hold himself in check much longer.

“You will not get anything from me! I do not know what it is that you want! I do not care about whatever it is that you want! You should not have called me here!”  Azazel spat the words. His magic crackling around him and Magnus knew he was on edge. He needed that. He needed Azazel to break down. Why else had the Asmodei called for him if he wasn’t guilty? Who was he if not a Prince of Hell? They were good at deception. There was a reason why Azazel had been shackled in Dudadel. He was not to be trusted and Magnus had no problem trying to make him yield.

“What do you know about his memories?” Magnus asked him. Azazel wasn’t giving him anything and he was starting to become desperate. “Where are they, Azazel!”

At the sound of the voice, Magnus saw him call up his magic and gather it in his hands. He’d managed to get under his skin, if the Prince lost whatever little patience he had, then he might have a chance. As Azazel attacked him, throwing a flash of light and dark magic, Magnus lifted his hands in front of him and dissolved its power, blocking him.  

“No!” he heard the Greater Demon as he growled, and attacked him again. Magnus moved then, sliding until he made a circle, Magnus lifted his left foot a little and a ball of fire formed in it, he kicked it to his hands as he moved them in a circle covering the sphere that took shape then. He threw it at Azazel, managing to touch him in his middle body. The Prince took a few steps backward, his hands moving to the sides as if trying to find something to hold on to, but there was nothing. Magnus gave himself a mental pat. His magic was bright in the middle of the dark metal in the walls of the Accords Hall in Edom. He could feel it powerful, and he recognized his father’s influence in it, but then again, his own magic had originally come from his father and he knew he’d never willingly help him.

So Magnus took another step, his hands shining bright with the flares ignited in them. This time, Azazel took a step back, though and Magnus frowned. Up to that moment, Azazel had been on the offensive, ready to fight him but it wasn’t time for him to start having second thoughts. There was only Alec in his mind. Alec, when he kissed him at his wedding leaving everybody, included Magnus, astonished by what he’d done. Alec and that gorgeous smile of his the first time they went out for dinner in New York, or the time he invited him to Tokyo and he’d eagerly agreed. The silly yet profound conversations they could have, from the color of their clothes to the mysteries in the universe, from what kind of games they used to play as children in the Lightwood household to what would be their ideal getaway for them to eventually surprise the other one and try it out.

There were only Alec and his need to get him back.

With every thought, Magnus took one step forward toward Azazel. The flames in his hands were a deeper orange color now but he wasn’t processing that. He just needed to find out.

“Where are Alec’s memories, Azazel?” he commanded, his voice sounding more certain the more he advanced. “Give them back, Azazel!”

Magnus could see Azazel backing away, looking everywhere but there was nothing around them but the emptiness of the place and the figure of Edom’s first Shadowhunter. Azazel and Magnus stopped at unison the second the first’s back hit against a wall. It was then that Magnus saw the fear in his eyes.

“I...I don’t...I don’t know where they are...” Azazel hesitated although Magnus didn’t know why. Before, Azazel had been arrogant and had wanted to play, now he was complying readily and it made the warlock frown. Where was the catch, he wondered. There was always a catch in Hell.

“If you don’t have them then who took them?” When Magnus realized Azazel wasn’t going to answer his moved his hands, from his sides up and then in front, shaping a ball of fire and magic that shone bright red and to which he paid no attention whatsoever. “Who’s got them Azazel? WHO?!”

“SOLRAG!” Azazel’s voice was ragged and fearful. Magnus had him pinned against the wall, his magic was now full red, he finally noticed but didn’t care. This need to hurt Azazel was so keen on him and yet so foreign. Besides, it was obvious he was facing Azazel in his own body and there was something that had made him fear. He’d called him, yes, but he’d never thought Azazel was using it. “SOLRAG TOOK THEM!”

“WHY?! WHY DID HE DO IT?!” Magnus asked enraged by Azazel’s words.

“I ORDERED HIM! I DID IT!” he screamed as his flesh started to burn from the intensity of Magnus’ magic.

At his words, and at the sight of him, Magnus recalled his magic upon himself and when he did so, he realized what had just happened. Edom wasn’t feeding him off. Edom was throwing at him the remnant of his father’s magic that it didn’t want over it. What his father had done to this realm and its inhabitants, whether greater or lesser demons, was suddenly clear as his cat eyes were on display and letting him see. He had been fed off by Edom so that his emotions were at this state and Edom could eat them back, whole, and reclaim them as its own.

Azazel was a few feet from him, his semi scorched body smelling of burnt flesh. Magnus looked at him and pitied him for a second.

“Why you would call a servant of my father is beyond me, Azazel,” it was his turn to spat the words out, “but I’m not going to kill you this time. I am not my father.”

Magnus turned towards the entrance of the Hall. He was looking at his hands, realizing the changes his magic had shown him in the colors it had taken for the past few days. He put his emotions in check. Asmodeus might come and ask for payback, after all, he’d been using Edom’s magic for his own purposes. This was his father’s kingdom, not his. And he was very certain about the fact that he’d never rule it by Asmodeus’ side.

He was almost at the door when his body gave in. He was angry and he knew it. He just needed to continue a bit further, he still was not sure how much time he’d spent in Edom by then. The past events came crashing at him. Alec’s accident, then at the hospital. Alec in his loft and then retreating, moving away from him, going back to live with his mother. Alec on his balcony asking him what he intended to do. He hadn’t been able to tell him back then and he was sure he wouldn’t be able to explain any of this to him anytime soon anyway.

Alexander, he thought, was worth all the hassle.

He said the name of the demon slowly, pronouncing every letter in Chthonian with careful intonation. He, Magnus Bane, was still in control. He knew of the Valac demons. He knew Solrag would most likely ask for something in return and he wasn’t willing to pay and lose anything else. A memory of his own meant losing Alec and he wasn’t going to do the same to the Shadowhunter. Solrag would have to relinquish the memory at no price. He was tired of paying high prices for what was right.

So he took from Edom one more time. If this realm was so readily given, then he was going to make use of every drop of magic at his disposal. His cat eyes were bright and he noticed the moving dark cloud coming his way and before it touched him he commanded his magic one more time. Strands of powerful, red magic came out of the flames in his hands as he lashed out at the demon who didn’t stand a chance.

He fell at Magnus’ feet and he kept him pinned on the floor with his magic and his right foot on his chest.

“Alec Lightwood’s memories. I want them. Now!” This time Magnus did notice the power in his voice and the commanding tone he’d used on the demon. He saw the demon turning to where Azazel was unconscious and grunted. “NOW!’ he shouted and the demon flinched. A white orb took shape in his hands and he held it as high as his position allowed it and offered it to Magnus.

The warlock took it with one hand while he used the other to wrap his magic around it as if it were a lasso and pushed the Valac demon forward. “You have made the biggest mistake of your life,” Magnus threatened and before the demon could retort, he pulled the magic toward himself and through the demon destroying him.

Magnus could hear his magic tearing through him and his screams but didn’t care. He held the orb against his chest and walked towards the statue of Jonathan Shadowhunter.

Once there, he collapsed against the pedestal and lost consciousness.

 

*      *     *

 

 

Asmodeus had been watching Magnus and Azazel from afar. He’d been floating around without shaping his body and was surprised. His being was filled with a sort of accomplishment and pride he had never acknowledged before. His son Magnus, such a warlock, such a source of entertainment. He could even forgive him for having summoned him and hurt him. Well, not yet, anyway.

Asmodeus had seen him take from Edom, and he was wondering why. Following him into the Accords Hall and seeing summoning Azazel had been a completely new development. He was going to make sure that such a feat was written in the epic books of Edom. Magnus Bane, son of Asmodeus, caster of Demons and slayer of Azazel. For it was something nobody had ever heard of. Not even Jonathan and his descendants had been able to succeed.

He also knew Magnus could lose it all. Not only his magic and immortality. In Hell, offenses against higher demons and most of all, against Princes were not taken lightly. Azazel was a powerful one. He’d spent centuries feeding off humans’ hatred and anger and was an angry demon himself. Ruthless like no other, he’d perfected the art of battle to the point that the other Princes wouldn’t meddle with him. Only he, Asmodeus, had dared go after him, and he’d had a right claim. One of his had been hurt by Azazel.

Perhaps, the one that was his, his favorite, his chosen son, could turn the table in his favor.

Magnus didn’t disappoint.

Asmodeus could see through Azazel’s lies and deceit. He could see how his brother was ready to strike his son and saw him gather his magic to do so. He also noticed how Magnus’ magic was reacting and how Magnus himself was readying himself to fight back. He saw Azazel’s going back and forth, screaming and hiding his true face. He was being careful, almost cautious, Asmodeus realized. He moved a little further and saw the same as Azazel; Magnus magic was a different color. He remembered it being blue most of the time and a little amber lately. This time, however—Asmodeus hid behind a column and took his human body, his cat eyes shining bright gold and green, a perfect mirror of Magnus’ gold ones. He called for his magic and saw it shining in a bright deep hue of purple. Asmodeus closed his hands in a fist and his magic vanished with the movement.

 _SOLRAG!_ He heard Azazel screams and came out just enough to be able to see them from behind the column. So, the Valac had decided to take a job, against his son, without him knowing. That it had been Solrag among the Valac had surprised Asmodeus. After all, he was a most loyal subject of his. He wondered what Azazel had promised him.

Asmodeus was surprised by more than one thing though. He knew Magnus had a goal and it was almost palpable to him. The evidence of Magnus’s restraint was almost gone from his wrists and he took a last look at them. They didn’t hurt anymore, now, he wasn’t even angry. At first, he’d believed Magnus was going to lose. He wanted to see him try and fail, or perhaps win. His warlock son had quite a number of cards under his sleeve and he was obviously ready to play them all in order to be victorious. He’d thought Azazel could have changed it all. His brother was reckless but he wasn’t stupid. He wanted to know what had transpired between those two to make his brother act like a newbie on his first day on the job. Asmodeus knew Magnus could lose, but he also knew he wasn’t going to make it any easier for Azazel. In a battle, there was always a winner and a loser, Azazel had a chance, after all, he was a Prince of Hell, just like him. However, and Asmodeus had to acknowledge this, what Magnus had that Azazel couldn’t understand was the unbreakable will and determination of his humanity.

Asmodeus leaned against the column as he looked at them and stood straight, supporting himself on his cane, the second Azazel started to burn.

If there was a warlock that was the epitome of what a human and a demon could be, that was definitely his son, Magnus. He knew there wouldn’t be a time in which they could understand each other but this moment, the instant in which Magnus made a Prince of Hell fall in front of him and not only give him the information he needed but had also managed to hurt him was a moment of incredible pride for him.

This had also been why he and his brothers had fought in Heaven against God and why Michael had expelled them; for they had fought so that God’s precious new experiment wouldn’t become so powerful that even angels wouldn’t compare to them. Humans were troublesome creatures, he mused. They were always ready to fight for what they wanted and to die for whom they loved. Magnus had taken advantage of what Edom was willingly offering and he realized it was his own magic as he’d spread enough before over the land to make it surrender to him. The sight of his son over Solrag now, how he was using his magic and commanding it as probably no other warlock had before was proof of his human strength.

Magnus had proven that he wasn’t in Edom to die that day. And after seeing him fight and win, Asmodeus now believed, was scarier than facing Michael’s flaming sword.

Asmodeus walked out of his hiding spot and took note of the scene before him. He saw Magnus’ eyes, so similar to his own, he was the only one among his many children to have inherited them. There hasn’t been one as similar to Asmodeus and yet as different.

The Prince smirked. He wondered where he’d gone wrong. However, he didn’t care. He loved this son of his. He could say he was proud of him and wouldn’t get in his way—at least for the time being.

Asmodeus walked in the Hall silently, as he saw Magnus walk toward the Statue. He was staggering and one of his arms was against his chest but he knew he wasn’t injured. He had retrieved that which he came looking for. He saw Magnus leaning against the pedestal and losing consciousness almost right away.

Asmodeus walked past Azazel and flicked his fingers, sending him back to Dudadel. Their misunderstanding wasn’t over but that wasn’t the place for a fight and he had more pressing matters to attend to. The waved his hand and Solrag’s ashes scattered over the Hall until they disappeared in Edom’s horizon.

“Come now, son,” he started as he flickered his fingers and lifted Magnus’ body, keeping it floating in the air, “this isn’t the place for you to fall asleep,” Asmodeus smiled slightly and pushed a strand of Magnus usually spiked hair away from his face. Asmodeus moved his hands over him scanning for injuries but apart from some small cuts and bruises, Magnus was fine. He noticed that he was holding the orb in one hand and a piece of clothing in the other. When he forced his hand open, Magnus had been holding an arrowhead in it, its blunt edges deep in his hand. Asmodeus’ eyebrow rose. Human emotions. He’d never be able to understand them but was curious as to what Magnus would be able to achieve one day. They could leave their bad blood on the side for now. He took a deep breath and exhaled aloud before his own purple flames shone brightly in his hands again. “Let me take you home.”

 

*      *     *

 

 

It was already past midnight and Magnus hadn’t arrived yet. After Catarina came to the loft earlier that night and they had eaten the food she brought, she had convinced Alec to get some rest. Jace wasn’t sure about what she said to his brother that he’d listened, but Alec had been sleeping in his own bed for a couple of hours already while Catarina got a book and started reading until she was drifting off a little in the couch.

He hadn’t been able to get any rest whatsoever, though he did pretend to fall asleep at some point. He was just waiting as he’d promised.

Jace finished putting away the trash from dinner and walked towards the apothecary. As he stood by the door, he heard a loud thud which made him flinch. He turned and looked at Catarina who had fully awoken at the sound. He didn’t wait for her and opened the door.

He simply wasn’t expecting to see Asmodeus carrying Magnus in his arms and walking past him toward the bedroom. Catarina, at the sight of the Prince, ran toward the room and opened the door startling Alec who half sat. He’d been sleeping there fully clothed and on top of the comforter. Jace followed them and saw Alec running out of the bed as Asmodeus left Magnus there.

“What happened to him?” Jace asked Asmodeus, making him stop. The demon turned to look at him, his eyebrow making an arch as he studied him.

“The Shadowhunter from the other night? I didn’t know my son was so close to your kind,” he retorted. “If it is so, then look after him,” Asmodeus pointed at Magnus’ room and left in a puff of smoke.

Jace couldn’t say or do anything. The demon didn’t answer his question and so, he went back to the room were Catarina was already checking on Magnus. She took the orb from his hands as careful as she could. Jace saw her rush toward Magnus’ studio and close the door behind her.

“Alec…?” At the sound of his voice, Alec turned to look at him and Jace could see the despair in his eyes. Alec showed him an arrowhead and looked back at Magnus. Jace felt a lump in his throat by just seeing the helplessness in Alec’s demeanor.

“Brother…” he started.

“I just need him to wake up, OK?”

Jace nodded and left the room as he noticed Alec moving a chair close to the bed to sit there next to Magnus. As Alec dropped his head, he closed the door to find Catarina moving around the loft.

“Need any help?” He asked, feeling completely out of place. He was nervous and was rubbing his hands on his thighs.

“It’s okay, Jace. I’m just setting up wards around this place. I don’t want Magnus to be disturbed. Plus, he brought Alec’s memories and I don’t want to lose those again.”

Jace watched her as she moved around the house, checking that her spells were properly placed

“It seems like you’ve made an impression on Asmodeus,” Catarina told Jace when she finally walked to him.

“That guy creeps me out,” he said in all honesty and sat on a couch, slouching as he said it. The man made him shiver, just his presence could manage that. Jace looked at Catarina who wouldn’t stop looking at Magnus’ apothecary.

“What was that in Magnus’ hand? Are those…?” He couldn’t finish the sentence. She knew what he meant for he saw her nod. “What now then?”

“Now we wait for Alec to come out and choose what he wants to do with them or we wait for Magnus to recover enough to ask him himself, either way, we wait.”

“But you could give Alec his memories back, like now, before Magnus wakes up, right?” Jace asked eagerly and she gave him a look that almost made him retreat.

“Jace, I know I’m the one functioning warlock here right now but it’s not my duty to do that. The magic necessary is too much and only Magnus could pull something like that off without the help of another warlock, so, we’ll wait.”

“Catarina…”

“No Jace, I’m not going to take your side. I’ve found the Book of White, his notes. I already opened that stupid envelope of his and I’m still not going to take your side. I can do it, yes, he’d given me the tools to do it in spite of what I’d just said to you, but I’m not,” Jace saw her and went quiet. He didn’t know what to say seeing her as worked as she was. “This has to be their decision. You and I won’t meddle, oh no, sir!”

The Shadowhunter didn’t dare break the silence between them. He was taken aback by her outburst, as she’d been the one keeping a steady head up to that point. She’d been the one making them eat and even get some sleep as she did with Alec. She was the voice of reason he and Magnus had avoided altogether.

“You let him go to Hell,” she continued and Jace knew he would dread that conversation forever. He saw how she was trying to restrain herself from screaming at him. He knew she cared about Alec and the fact that she was trying to not create a bigger issue was just another indication of it. Jace lowered his head and moved in his place, allowing her the time to gather her thoughts without him interrupting. “I’d spent days trying to talk him out of it, and he even summoned Asmodeus. That’s something not even I would’ve encouraged.”

Catarina wouldn’t look at him and Jace was trying to contain the growing desire he had to run to Maryse and hide behind her. Catarina wasn’t accusing him, but still, the reproachful tone she was using with him was more than enough to make him feel beyond guilty.

“I...I came here one night and he broke down and we talked and I promised I’d help. Alec is my brother, please understand, we were just trying…” he started speaking but the woman turned to look at him and he felt the lump in his throat getting heavier.

“I know, and I understand but the thought of losing Magnus…” she turned to him and came to sit on the chair nearest to him, “try and see it from my point of view, for me, to lose him is almost as losing my own parabatai, and I’m putting it in those words so that you can understand me too. Alec and I have been talking for weeks, and I know he sees Magnus as someone he can’t be without, I’ve seen his curiosity growing, his desire to get to know more about Magnus day by day. I have been there with him. For him. I know him well, but you two are a pair of stubborn son-of-bitches and I wish I had known, I would’ve never let you do such a foolish thing.”

Jace nodded. He’d seen Magnus when he summoned Asmodeus. He’d been at the loft as Magnus prepared himself to go and had been there ever since waiting for him to return and now that he was there, brought back by none other than Asmodeus himself, they still had no put an end to the madness. He sighed and allowed himself to let out the sob he’d been holding all day and cried in silence.

Catarina patted his hand and then his head as she stood up and walked away and Jace was grateful for her silence.

“We’ll see what to do once either one of them is ready to make a decision and talk. We’ve waited the longest for this; we can wait a little more. There’s no rush anymore. Besides, for the looks of it, he might be out for a while, so, let’s be patient, shall we?”

Jace saw her walk to the balcony and stand there, leaving him alone with his thoughts. After seeing her pain and weighing what she’d said to him, she simply let her be, his eyes wandering to Magnus’ bedroom.

 

*      *     *

 

.

Alec had a headache and was still trying to process everything that had happened. From him going through the boxes in his place, to coming to Magnus’ loft, to the wait and now this. Magnus was passed out, albeit peacefully, while Alec sat on a chair by his side. He’d stayed with him, taking his shoes off and discarded his burnt jacket. His hands were roughed and one of them had been pierced by his arrowhead, one like the others he’d found in his boxes.

He’d been touched by it. All the emotions he’d been feeling crashing again on him. This man in front of him was going to be the death of him and he thought for a second that if he was feeling like this without remembering who he truly was to him, then what they’d had was not a fleeting thing. It had really meant everything to him.

Alec caressed Magnus’ leg softly. His pants were also soiled and smelled of smoke, so Alec stood up and got himself busy. He looked for some clean pajama pants he’d seen earlier when he was looking for clothes for himself. He called Catarina for help and both managed to get Magnus changed into clean clothes as he took the dirty ones to the trash bin.

“He’ll sleep for a while, Alec. You need some rest yourself,” she said to him and he nodded slightly.

“I was sleeping when that guy brought him in; who was he anyway?” He asked and noticed how Catarina stood still for a moment.

“That was Asmodeus,” she answered truthfully and looked away.

“Magnus’ father? I thought they weren’t on good terms.”

“Which makes this whole tale much interesting to listen to once he’s awake,” Catarina patted his arm and took a long look at Magnus. Alec saw her and held her hand against his arm.

“You go, I’ll be out in a minute, I’m getting kind of hungry,” he chuckled and she left the room.

Alec stayed by the windowsill. Magnus had let him stay there when he’d just left the hospital and he remembered the room, how it made him feel safe at times while at others it made him feel anxious. The way it smelled, the memories it provoked in his body, everything but his mind telling he’d belonged there. He’d seen Magnus enter when he thought he’d been sleeping and how the man stood there by the bed for the longest time, many times until he’d fallen asleep excited with anticipation and fear all the same. Now it was his time to do the same, to care for someone who meant so much to him.

Alec could see his features as he rested peacefully. His breathing was steady and even when he moved just a bit, he could see how gorgeous Magnus was. They had just put on the pants on him disregarding a T-shirt, and Alec could trace the lean muscles with his eyes. He knew he was a powerful man, but seeing him like this was like seeing him in such a vulnerable state that he knew not many people would ever be allowed to.

By the Angel that that man did things to him. All of him.

Magnus must’ve been exhausted he mused, and wondered to what extent he’d gone to have gained himself a free ride from the King of Edom, who regardless of parentage, wasn’t really a fan of Magnus and vice versa.

He liked what he saw. He liked it very much.

Alec sighed and pulled the cover over him although he knew that by the time he was back, Magnus would have pulled it away again.

He walked out and Catarina stood up, showing him the way toward the kitchen. He saw her checking the fridge for leftovers and then saw her warm up some for him. She served him some and Alec sat opposite her on the kitchen island. He hadn’t seen Jace in the living room when he walked out the room.

“Eat some. It might be a long night,” her voice was soft and tired. Alec grabbed her hand and thanked her.

“Where’s Jace?” He asked as he pushed a fork into the food.

“I sent him for something to eat. Told him there wasn’t enough, he needs a break too,” she winked and Alec gave her a big smile. “The poor thing doesn’t know how to act around me so I thought I could cut him some slack.”

Alec saw her put her own plate on the island and sit down. They ate in silence for a while. They had learned to be around each other. Alec had grown used to Catarina’s and was mostly comforted by it. Once the food was over, she used her magic to clean up the kitchen and put everything in place while Alec watched her intently. He’d never get tired of seeing the warlocks using their magic even for the smallest things; the thing with Catarina was, that she kept her magic to herself and didn’t use it for much beyond healing.

“Cat, what’s on your mind?” he finally asked her as she finished and turned to look at him. She sat back on her stool and Alec closed his hands in front of him, crossing his fingers.

“Actually, you are,” she confessed, making him uneasy with the way she was looking at him.

“Why?” he asked again and noticed how his friend was intently looking at him. He liked the fact that Catarina and himself wouldn’t be beating around the bushes to get a straight answer from the other.

“We’ve been talking for weeks now, Alec. I know what’s in your heart right now, perhaps better than anyone else at the moment, and still, I’m surprised to see you here; I mean, you took me by surprise when you called me yesterday morning…” she trailed off, moving her hands in front of him, “you’re here, in the loft you used to share, and you’ve been running away from all this while he’s been holding onto it as if his life depended on it...as I said, I’m just surprised, Alec.”

Alec lowered his head, hiding his eyes from her. Catarina could read him too well and he didn’t want her to see more just right then. What could he tell her? That he’d run to the place that morning because he wanted to find answers as to why he felt the way he did about Magnus and that he couldn’t even blame his memories of him because he still didn’t have any? He didn’t dare tell her about the rune on his neck and what he felt when he saw those pictures of him and Magnus and much less how his body responded to them. Would he talk to her about the panic attack he almost had when he came to the loft and didn’t find Magnus and how it got so bad he had to call her because who else would understand? And how about just now, when he stayed with Magnus for the longest time simply because even when he was passed out, being next to Magnus made him feel at peace.

“Cat...I…” he lifted his head and was about to continue but his stutter—the nervous kind that he always had whenever it came to Magnus—made him stop. Catarina held his hands on hers and he looked at her in the eye.

“You fell in love with him all over again,” she began, and when Alec opened his eyes wide and tried to move away, she squeezed his hands in a loving way, making him stop, “you ran because you didn’t know how to understand what was happening to you and he went to Hell because he loves you so much he didn’t want you to keep running away, at least not from him. You two are a couple of idiots.”

Alec snorted a laugh as he nodded.

“A couple of adorable idiots, at that,” she patted his hands and walked over to the other side to stand in front of him, as Alec was sitting down, she was at his height. “I’ve got your memories in the studio, I can give them to you right now if you want…” she trailed off and Alec didn’t know what to say. Her offer was tempting. It had been the one thing that had brought them all to where they were right then.

“I...I don’t know…” he started and stood up abruptly the second he heard the door opening and Jace showed up speaking on the phone, probably to Clary, he thought.

“We’ll wait for him then,” Catarina finished the conversation and walked back to the living room, she smiled softly at Jace and went straight to chair to continue reading an old book she’d left on the coffee table earlier.

“Everything alright?” Jace asked Alec and the man nodded. He noticed the bags Jace had in his hands and moved to the side to give him room to put everything in place.

“Mundane things, suit you,” Alec told Jace who didn’t say anything. They hadn’t really spoken since Alec came to the loft and were avoiding each other most of the time. “I’m sorry,” Alec finally said as Jace turned and gave him a questioning look. “The parabatai rune...I didn’t mean it...I’m so…”

“Stop, Alec. Stop...just…” Alec could see the relief on Jace’s slouched shoulders. They hadn’t talked. Alec had been mad and he knew he’d pushed Jace away apart from all the pain he unwittingly sent him through their shared rune. Alec heard him sniffle and when Jace looked at him, Alec came to his side and hugged him tightly. Jace let out a sob and hid his face in the crook of his neck.

“I love you, Jace and I appreciate what you did, but next time either one of you tries to pull something this shitty off, I’ll kick your ass and will never forgive you,” he said in a low voice, just for Jace, making him laugh while stroking his head.

“Got it,” was all Jace said as before burying his head in Alec’s shoulder.

 

*      *     *

 

 

It was dark and it made him feel disoriented. The last memory he had was of him falling down by the Shadowhunter statue in Edom and he didn’t know Edom could be this dark at night. He rubbed his eyes and realized he was lying down on a quite comfortable surface. He moved his hands on it and sort of recognized the feeling of it. He sat up straight at once, making him feel dizzy due to the sudden movement. Magnus groaned and as he did, he heard the rustle of fabric on fabric and a light was suddenly turned on.

His breath got caught on his throat. Alec was there, standing next to him in what he now recognized was their room. Or used to anyway, he chided himself.

“Are you okay?” He heard Alec ask him and saw him sitting down by his side on the bed. He closed his eyes nodding, feeling the dryness in his throat and checking everything around him. He was wearing just a pair of pajama pants, no shirt, he had been obviously tucked in under the blankets and this was definitely his home. His mouth tasted foul and his stomach growled in hunger. He covered his face with his hands for a moment trying to regain enough composure to ask what had happened.

“Wait here, I’ll get you something to eat,” Alec stood up then and Magnus followed him with his eyes. The man was wearing comfy clothes as well, he was barefoot, and had been sleeping on the chair next to the bed for what he could tell. He noticed that Alec’s phone was there, earphones still plugged in and another blanket he must’ve used to cover himself.

Magnus took a deep breath and stood up. He went to the restroom to empty his bladder and wash up enough to look presentable. When he looked at his reflection in the mirror, he noticed his smeared make-up and the dark bags under his eyes. He cleaned his face up slowly removing it and then splashed water on it, freshening up. He sighed. It had been a while since he did that and he knew that things weren’t over just yet.

After a few more minutes, Alec walked in, a tray in his hands which he left on the dresser as he walked to the curtains letting the sun in. It was morning then, Magnus thought, but his thoughts drifted to Alexander in their home, taking care of him. He shook his head and left a towel by the sink, walking to the closet to find his robe.

He knew that, as soon as he moved, Alec’s eyes were on him, perhaps studying him, after all, they didn’t know each other that well anymore.

“Are you okay?” the other finally asked while he folded and put away the blanket that was on the chair and Magnus stopped on his tracks, simply turning when he put on the robe and was accommodating it over his shoulders. Alexander was really there, and he didn’t know why. Magnus nodded, still processing. He was back, he’d defeated the Asmodei, Azazel, and Sorlag, and he’d passed out.

“How did I make it here?” He finally asked curiously and sat in the chair. Alec brought the tray to him and Magnus took it, taking every bite of food slowly.

“Your father brought you here,” Alec answered and Magnus stopped eating, watching carefully as the other sat on the bed in front of him. “He just put you in bed and left.”

Magnus looked at him, really observing him, and was taken aback by how at ease Alec seemed there with him. It was so different from the last time they’d seen each other when Alec had been so distant from him. He ate a bit more, nodding and diverting his eyes from Alec. It hurt. It all still hurt.

He felt a pang in his chest and let out a breath.

“Why are you here, Alexander?” he finally blurted out. His emotions were betraying him and they came crashing on him, and Magnus felt lost. He didn’t know what to say, how to behave. Things have been so bizarre between them for weeks now that he felt out of place in his own home; in front of the man he loved.

“Why did you go to Edom, Magnus?” the other retorted and Magnus stopped what he was doing altogether, eating the last of his meal and putting the tray back on the dresser. He stood up and walked away towards the door. He heard voices and turned to Alec, wondering who they were. “Catarina and Jace, we’ve all been here for a couple of days already.” Alec stood after him and froze when Magnus flickered his fingers, his usual blue flames came to him as he set up simple wards in the room so that the others wouldn’t hear them talking. “You shouldn’t have gone to Edom, I mean, you put your life at risk, Magnus.”

Alec was hesitant and Magnus noticed. Something was definitely different about him, about his reasons he had to be there, about the things he said. He couldn’t press. He couldn’t dare dream that there was something else there.

Magnus sighed and came to stand by Alec. In spite of the other being a full foot taller than him, he just watched him, paying careful attention to his features, to the hazel of his eyes turning green under the morning sunlight, to his lips and how he licked them when he was nervous. Why would he be nervous anyway?

"Why did you go? Magnus?" Alec probed again, forcing him to look and turn away.

"I went there to get your memories back, Alexander...I told you I was going to get them back,” he answered turning back to look at Alec who seemed to not want to let go of the conversation.

"Your life was in danger! You could've died!" Alec yelled and Magnus knew he did it because Jace and Catarina wouldn’t hear them. They were in a small world of their own right then and Magnus didn’t know how to feel about it.

"I wasn't going to...I knew what I was doing…I…” Magnus hesitated for a second. He really didn’t know what he was doing. He just went with his heart and his gut. He was desperate, eager to have Alec back and hadn’t really thought what he as going to do in the long run, and then Edom had proven to be a full challenge for him. Magnus looked at his hands and remembered how his magic had changed until it had been deep red, closer in color to his father’s. Memories of Edom and the battles he had had came to him. He’d been in more danger than he’d dared to admit. If Asmodeus hadn’t brought him back to his place, then he would’ve most likely died. Another Asmodei would’ve found him, claim blood for blood over the one he had killed. He wouldn’t have been able to protect himself. He would’ve lost Alec’s memories and his own life in Edom.

"Stop, Magnus...just stop...I can't do this," Alec took a few steps back and sat down on the stool by the chair. He looked defeated and Magnus felt a lump forming on his throat by watching him.

"Alexander, I got them back, and I am here,” he said, sitting on the bed, right in front of him. Magnus stretched his hands toward him, making him look at him. They needed to do this, they needed to let it all out and figure out what to do next.

"What good would those memories have done me if you hadn't returned? Did you even think of me for one second?"

At Alec’s words, and the sadness in his voice, Magnus swallowed hard. There it was. The one thing he hadn’t been able to figure out since he woke up. Why was Alexander there with him, making him question what he had already put aside? The fears, the unease was back tenfold.

"How can you say that? Everything I've done...” he started but Alec lifted his hand, cutting him off.

"I know I can't remember the last time we talked or the first one for that matter. I can't remember your words or if you ever said you loved me or if I ever said it to you, but my body, my heart...they remember you a little too well. Whenever you are around and I catch your scent, my heart does somersaults. Whenever I touch your hand or if I'm just a bit closer to you my skin tingles. Did you use to like this rune here on my neck? Did you? Because I feel shivers from just thinking that you touched it. I don't need those memories when I can have you and make new ones with you."

Magnus’ breathing hitched and he closed his eyes. This right then was what he needed to hear, what he needed to feel and what he’d been most afraid of for it gave him hope and hadn’t dared hope anymore. He heard the rustle of fabric and knew Alec had taken a step closer to him, he was now kneeling in front of him and he could feel his breath warm and so close.

And so, when Alec kissed him, Magnus didn’t see it coming. He simply felt him by his side, one hand on his neck and the other one by his waist and then Alec’s lips were on his, warm and clumsy, innocent and yet so experienced when it came to him that Magnus let go. He inhaled deeply and went for it, grabbing Alec and pulling him against him while Alec tightened his arms around him. Magnus could feel the hand on his waist touching his bare skin under his open robe and he moaned against Alec’s lips, full of need and love and the acknowledgment of having found what had been lost.

As they parted, Magnus moved forward, holding on to Alec’s hands afraid of opening his eyes and find that he was gone. However, the other hand on his cheek made him open his eyes.

“Why now, Alec?” The young man looked at him without knowing what he was saying and Magnus gave his hands a light squeeze. “Don’t get me wrong, this…” he said moving his hands between them, “this is perhaps more than I had dreamed of, but you pushed me away all these weeks and I thought you didn’t want me around…” as he started stuttering, Alec moved his thumb against his cheek making him close his eyes again just to enjoy the simplicity of the gesture.

"Catarina explained it to me the other day, there were too many things thrown at me all at the same time. Sensory overload. It wasn't that I didn't want you around I just...I just didn't know if I wanted to be around you for me or just to make you happy.”

Magnus nodded at the explanation. What was he going to say when he was at a loss for words. He touched his lips and looked back at Alec. “And now?"

"You got my memories back, didn't you?" Magnus heard him say those words with such sadness that he didn’t know what was going on again.

"Alec...Alexander, look at me....and now?"

"I came here looking for you to tell you all of this and you were gone. And losing you for the second time would've been a shitty thing to do to me."

Magnus chuckled at his words. How he could be so adorable under distressing circumstances was beyond him and yet here was Alec and he still didn’t believe it.

"Alexander, you've never lost me,” he finally said which gained him a reproachful look from Alec.

"I did. And I hurt you when I didn't know how to be me. I lost you when I pushed you away even when I didn't want to do that. I didn't know when things were about you, everybody else or just me...ask Jace, I almost killed him with all the emotions I couldn't control and that he got through our bond,”

Magnus noticed then that Alec was still pretty much kneeling in front of him and he made him sit on the bed. “Alexander…” Magnus began, but Alec cut him off. “What’s wrong...what…”

“Say it again, please?”

“Say what?”

“My name, say it, Magnus…”

“Alexander? Love, what’s going on?”

“This is it, you say my name and I come undone.  There’s no one in this world that can say my name like that and make me feel the way you do and if this is a fraction of what I used to feel for you before, then yes, I want those memories back.”

“Are you serious?” Magnus cupped Alec’s face with his hands and smiled. He felt tears welling up in his eyes but didn’t dare say anything. Alec was right, there was when things ended for them because there was nothing else that mattered in the world than the two of them. He’d been silly, he should’ve waited but then, they wouldn’t be there right then and he wasn’t sure he wanted things to have happened differently.

Alec leaned forward again and Magnus responded in kind, his hands going through the young man’s hair and then resting on his neck as he kissed him.

When they broke the kiss, Magnus smiled as Alec rested his forehead on his. He could feel Alec shivering as he caressed the rune on his neck. It was Alec who had his eyes closed now, perhaps enjoying his touch and Magnus felt deeply touched by it. There were things that weren’t really gone and he knew it when he kissed Alec’s rune and the man moaned.

He’d survived how long? How many things? And yet he knew that there in Alec’s arms was definitely the end of him.

“I most definitely love this rune,” he said, moving his fingers over Alec’s deflect rune, making him laugh. And that was the most incredible thing he’d heard in days.

 

*      *     *

 

It had been over a week now since Alec got his memories back and one more since Magnus had returned from Edom. Things had been fine, he thought. He and Magnus had agreed on taking some time to get to know each other again. Magnus knew he didn’t have to woo Alec again but still, he tried to make that time special for him and Alec had been grateful for that. There weren’t any awkward conversations and they didn’t mention his memories again. They were safe and sound in Magnus’ apothecary and the wards to protect them were among Magnus’ finest works. Not that Catarina’s hadn’t been good, but they weren’t Magnus’ good.

Alec had been preparing some snacks as they were having a movie night. Madzie has been going on and on about Moana for days now and since she’d already watched every other Disney movie with her during his recovery, he was more than willing to watch one more. This time they’d do it in his home, the one he shared with Magnus.

During the week they had taken to get reacquainted, Magnus had played the dutiful boyfriend role and had surprised Alec picking him up at his place and bringing him back which had amused Maryse to no extent. They’d even gone in a double date first with Maryse and Luke—which wasn’t at all awkward, seriously— and the other time it had been with Jace and Clary. They had tried to see how different things were going to be but they realized that they didn’t really care. They didn’t talk about how different things were, they simply focused on how much they cared for each other.

Alec set the plates on the coffee table and made sure there was enough soda in the fridge to last them for the next three movies and Magnus had disappeared, afraid of being pulled into watching a princess movie. It hadn’t mattered that Catarina had reassured him it wasn’t one's typical movie. He still didn’t dare sit down and watch it, hence, he made himself scarce that day.

Alec looked at Magnus’ apothecary and sighed. Memories or not, he had come to accept that his entire being will always lead to Magnus and felt a pang of fear when he remembered Magnus’ tale in Edom. He still couldn’t believe Magnus had gone against his father and Azazel just to recover his memories but Magnus had explained himself, he had wanted Alec to make the decision by himself based on what he truly wanted and he wouldn’t have been able to do that without having all facts before him and having his memories were part of it. Had he chosen not to have them back, Magnus had promised to still love him and be there for him. Yet, when he chose to get them back, he realized that nothing they had lived afterward could match what had been gone. And it was their love, the story that they were writing what they treasured. All the blanks were suddenly filled with color and love and in the middle of it all, it had been him, Magnus.

 _‘You said it one day, Alexander, we always seem to find our way back to each other. It wasn’t going to be the exception this time_ ,’ Magnus words were true and he felt it inside. It didn’t matter in what Universe they were, they were going to find each other and never let go.

Alec’s reveries were interrupted when a portal opened and Catarina and Madzie walked in. The pop it made had Magnus walk to the living room as Madzie ran to Alec’s arms to greet him.

This was his family, Alec thought.

These warlocks who’d taken his life by storm and who’d become part of who he was. Catarina kissed him on the cheek Madzie had left available and he noticed Magnus smiling at them from his place. Madzie let go of Alec and ran to Magnus then, giving him an equally wonderful kiss.

“Ready to watch your movie, Sweetpea?” Alec heard Magnus ask Madzie and saw her pouting when he told her he wasn’t going to be there with her and Alec.

“You might want to reconsider that,” Alec told Magnus, “we’ve got the soda and those chips you like from that deli you love down the street,” he finished while he showed the DVD at Madzie and she laughed aloud.

Catarina gave Magnus a look and Alec smiled as he rolled his eyes.

“I thought Simon was coming,” Magnus stated and Catarina nodded. Alec saw Magnus giving Catarina an envelope, “VIP seats to Hamilton. I even managed to get you and Irene a backstage pass. Have fun!” Catarina did a sort of victory dance and she and Magnus shared a hug.

“He’s on his way with Clary and Izzy,” Alec told them; “which is why we’re going to watch Frozen Fever before they arrive.”

Alec and Magnus sat down side by side and Madzie did the same but in between them, making them laugh. She leaned over to Alec and he let her get comfy against his body, covering her with his arm and Magnus touched his fingers. He was happy, he truly was happy and he felt as if he couldn’t want for anything else in his life.

“Alec, Catarina has a new tale of the Moon Prince and the Magic Prince,” Madzie said and Alec looked at her a big smile on his face.

“She does now, does she? I can’t wait to hear it,” Alec said as Olaf appeared on the screen and Madzie shushed them all.

Magnus opened his eyes wide and looked at Alec making faces asking him what Madzie was talking about and Alec called him to get closer to him with a gesture of his head. Magnus did and Alec stroked his hair lovingly, "I'll tell you the story of the Moon Prince and the Magic Prince some other time,” he told him as Madzie turned to them admonishing to be quiet again.

 

 

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sticking around and reading this story 'till the end. Thank you for he kudo and the comments, they were a very pleasant surprise. 
> 
> And a very special thank you to Malec_hun who took the time to read as I wrote and lifted me up when I felt like I wasn't going to make it.
> 
> Ari


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